BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


[SUPPLEMENT  TO  THE  FRIEND.] 


wrong  gwar  f  apers: 


BY  REV.  SAMUEL  C.  DAMON. 


"  The  immense  Pacific  smiles 
Round  ten  thousand  little  isles, 
Haunts  of  violence  and  wiles. 

"  But  the  powers  of  darkness  yreldv 
For  the  Cross  is  in  the  field, 
And  the  light  of  life  reveal'd.". 

MOMTGOMERV,  1826. 


HONOLULU : 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  HAWAIIAN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 
1861. 


"The  isles  shall  wait  for  His  law." — ISAIAH  xlii  :  4. 

"The  isles  shall  wait  upon  Me."— ISAIAH  li :  5. 

«'  Surely  the  isles  shall  wait  for  Me." — ISAIAH  Ix  :  9. 

"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  living  creature." 

MARK  xvi :  15. 

"  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.     Amen.*' 

MATTHEW  xxviii :  20. 

"  I  feel  confident  that,  regarded  as  a  mere  money  investment,  the  very  best  invest- 
ment this  country  [England]  can  make,  is  to  send  out  in  advance  of  either  colonists 
or  merchants,  Missionaries,  who  may  prepare  the  way  for  those  who  are  to  follow." 

SIR  G.  GREY,  Governor  of  New  Zealand. 

"  One  thing  is  consummated  and  settled  in  my  mind,  and  that  is,  a  full  and  de- 
lightful conviction  that  the  cause  of  Missions  has  never  held  too  high  a  place  in  my 
estimation,  or  engaged  too  large  a  share  of  my  attention.  This  is  saying  nothing, 
and  less  than  nothing.  It  transcends — immeasurably  transcends  the  highest  estima- 
tion of  every  created  mind.'9 — REV.  DR.  WORCESTER,  First  Sec'ry  A,  B.  C.  F.  M.,  1821. 

"It  is  our  duty  to  visit  surrounding  islands.  A  missionary  was  never  designed  by 
Jesus  Christ,  to  gather  a  congregation  of  a  hundred  or  two  natives,  and  sit  down  at 
his  ease,  as  contented  as  if  every  sinner  was  converted,  while  thousands  around  him, 
and  but  a  few  miles  off,  aie  eating  each  other's  flesh,  and  drinking  each  other's  blood, 
living  and  dying  without  the  Gospel.  For  my  own  part  I  cannot  content  myself  within 
the  narrow  limits  of  a  single  reef;  and,  if  means  are  not  afforded,  a  continent  would 
he  infinitely  preferable;  for  there,  if  you  cannot  ride,  you  can  walk;  but  to  these 
isolated  islands  a  ship  must  carry  you.  Did  you  know  the  state  of  the  surround- 
ing islands,  how  ripe  they  are  for  the  reception  of  the  Gospel,  you  would  sell  the  very 
gods  out  of  your  museum,  if  it  were  necessary,  to  carry  the  glad  tidings  of  salvatioa 
to  those  now  sitting  in  darkness." — REV.  Jonx  WILLIAMS,  (Martyr  of  Erumanga,) 
to  the  Directors  of  London  Missionary  Society,  1823. 


"  Come,  Lord,  and  added  to  thy  many  crowns, 
Receive  yet  one,  the  crown  of  all  the  earth, 
Thou,  who  alone  art  worthy."— COWPER. 


BY  H.  M.  WHITNEY,  COMMERCIAL  ADYERTISKR    OFF1CS. 


GLIMPSES  AND  GLANCES 

AT  THE 

SIG-HTS,    SCENES    AND   PEOPLE 

OF  MICRONESIA. 


I. 

PREFATORY. 

A  FEW  glimpses  and  glances  with  an  observing  pair  of  eyes,  will 
afford  a  better  idea  of  a  place  and  people  than  books  of  travels  and 
voyages  written  by  the  most  graphic  pen.  All  are  not  inclined  to 
journey  abroad,  or  if  inclined,  do  not  enjoy  the  privilege  of  going, 
hence  they  must  obtain  their  knowledge  of  foreign  lands,  by  reading  or 
conversation  with  those  who  have  seen  those  lands  and  communities 
beyond  the  seas.  Having  enjoyed  a  favorable  opportunity  for  cruising 
among  the  islands  of  Micronesia  and  catching  "  glimpses  and  glances 
at  the  sights,  scenes  and  people  "  of  that  remote  and  unfrequented  re- 
gion upon  our  globe,  we  propose  furnishing  our  readers  with  a  series  of 
descriptive  sketches,  or  rather  extracts  from  "  our  log,"  while  on  board 
the  Morning  Star,  during  her  fifth  and  last  trip  to  the  westward. 

The  nature  of  our  cruise  would  not  allow  time  for  deep  research  into 
the  origin  of  the  inhabitants,  or  for  historical  investigations,  although 
we  have  not  neglected  to  peruse  such  publications  as  relate  to  those 
parts  of  the  Pacific,  including  volumes  of  former  voyages,  the  journals 
of  missionaries,  and  books  of  natural  science.  We  have  read  with 
profit  that  portion  of  the  U.  S.  Exploring  Expedition,  by  Lieut.  Wilkes, 
relating  to  the  Gilbert  or  Kingsmill  Islands,  the  voyages  of  the  re- 
nowned Kotzebue,  to  the  Radack  Chain  of  the  Marshall  Islands,  and 
several  other  works  relating  to  Micronesia;  also  Darwin's  Voyage  of  a 
Naturalist,  and  Maury's  Physical  Geography  of  the  Sea.  The  most 
readable  and  reliable  sources  of  information  are  the  Morning  Star,  or 
History  of  the  Children's  Missionary  Vessel,  by  Mrs.  Jane  S.  Warren, 
of  Boston,  and  the  Lectures  of  Rev.  L.  H.  Gulick,  M.  D.,  published  in 


the  Polynesian.  We  began,  however,  to  treasure  up  stores  of  knowl- 
edge respecting  Micronesia,  many  years  ago,  as  we  sat  in  our  sanctum, 
and  conversed  with  shipmasters  and  sailors,  who  had  visited  those 
comparatively  unknown  regions.  We  were  accustomed  to  do  this 
long  before  the  establishment  of  the  Micronesian  Mission.  Since  the 
mission  was  commenced,  ia  1852,  we  have  maintained  a  frequent  cor- 
respondence with  all  the  missionaries,  having  been  permitted  the 
privilege  of  a  personal  acquaintance  with  them,  while  they  were  en 
route  from  the  United  States  to  their  distant  and  lonely  stations  upon 
Kusaie,  Ponapi,  Apaiang  and  Ebon.  It  has  long  been  our  cherished 
desire  to  visit  them,  and  behold  the  changes  there  in  progress.  Cir- 
cumstances have  not  allowed  us  to  carry  out  this  desire  until  the  sailing 
of  the  Morning  Star  upon  her  last  trip,  bound  thither  with  the  annual 
supplies  for  the  mission-families.  While  making  our  preparations  to 
leave,  the  Hawaiian  Missionary  Society  conferred  upon  us  the  honor  of 
acting  as  their  Delegate. 

When  starting  upon  our  cruise,  the  prospect  of  a  change  of  scene, 
and  rest  from  the  long  continued  pressure  of  professional  duties,  was 
most  refreshing  to  our  jaded  spirits.  We  longed  for  rest  and  mental 
repose  ;  the  idea  of  enjoying  rest  and  repose  amid  the  unvisited  scenes 
of  Micronesia,  served  to  gild  the  future  with  dreamy  fancies  which 
we  feared  could  not  be  realized.  In  imagination,  we  pictured  many  a 
pleasant  day's  sail  along  the  shores  of  islands  decked  in  the  rich  and 
gorgeous  drapery  of  the  tropics,  and  over  lagoons  where 

"  Life,  in  rare  and  beautiful  form, 
Is  sporting  amid  those  bowers  of  stone." 

We  anticipated  much  of  the  purest  enjoyment  from  the  friendly 
greeting  and  familiar  converse  with  the  missionary  brethren.  Disap- 
pointment has  not  been  our  lot.  The  participation  has  been  more 
than  was  the  anticipation.  The  bright  fancies  of  the  imagination 
have  been  realized.  If  now  our  descriptions  of  the  Micronesian 
Islands  appear  tame  and  common  place,  the  reason  will  be  that  our 
pen  has  tailed  to  give  full  expression  to  our  ideas,  and  experiences, 
for  we  have  seen  enough,  and  experienced  enough  to  fill  volumes 
with  far  more  entertaining  sketches  than  we  are  able  to  produce.  But 
we  hope  not  altogether  to  fail  in  our  attempts,  inasmuch  as  we 
merely  propose  to  sketch  "  glimpses  and  glances  at  the  sights,  scenes 
and  people  of  Micronesia." 


II. 

OUTLINE  OF  OUR  CRUISE. 

Leaving  Honolulu,  Saturday  May  llth,  at  one  o'clock  P.  M.,  the 
Morning  Star  pursued  a  southwesterly  course,  running  before  the 
northeast  trade  winds.  On  crossing  the  meridian,  we  changed  our 
Sabbath  to  correspond  with  that  of  the  missionaries  of  Micronesia. 
No  incident  of  importance  occurred  during  our  passage  to  Apaiang, 
or  Charlotte  Island,  one  of  the  Gilbert  or  Kingsmill  Islands,  lying  in 
2  °  North  latitude  and  173  °  East  longitude.  We  reached  the-island, 
Monday  morning,  May  26th,  fifteen  days  after  sailing  from  Honolulu. 
We  were  greeted  with  a  most  cordial  welcome  from  the  Kev.  Mr. 
Bingham,  before  our  vessel  came  to  anchor  in  the  smooth  waters  of  the 
lagoon  of  Apaiang,  for  this  island  is  one  of  the  numerous  coral  islands, 
forming  the  Gilbert  Group. 

We  remained  at  anchor  for  three  days  at  Apaiang,  when  we  started  for 
the  neighboring  Island  of  Tarawa,  taking  with  us  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bing- 
ham, as  passengers,  who  proposed  to  visit  their  missionary  associates, 
Messrs.  Mahoe  and  Haina,  on  Tarawa.  One  day's  sail  brought  us  to  a 
safe  anchorage  in  the  lagoon  of  Tarawa.  Finding  the  mission  families 
in  health,  and  usefully  occupied,  we  spent  three  days,  including  a 
Sabbath,  at  this  station,  when  we  squared  away  for  the  Marshall 
Islands,  touching  on  our  passage  to  leave  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bingham  at 
their  island-home.  Running  in  a  northwesterly  direction,  after  a 
quick  passage  of  only  two  days,  we  reached  Boston  or  CovelPs  Island, 
as  it  is  known  upon  the  charts  of  navigators,  but  now  called  Ebon 
by  the  missionaries,  who  have  followed  the  native  authority.  This 
kland  lies  4  °  39  N.,  and  168  °  50  E.  At  this  island  we  spent  four 
days — including  a  Sabbath — when  we  sailed  for  Strong's  Island,  Ualan, 
or  Kusaie,  lying  in  5  °  19  N.,  and  163  °  E.  L.  Having  light  winds 
we  were  six  days  making  the  passage,  hence  did  not  land  on  that  Island, 
until  early  Sabbath  morning,  June  15.  On  Strong's  Island,  we  were 
weather-bound  for  five  days,  being  unable  to  communicate  with  our  vessel, 
which  was  lying  "off  and  on." 

Having  landed  our  supplies,  and  leaving  the  mission  family  of  Mr. 
Snow,  in  health,  we  sailed  for  Ascension,  or  Ponapi,  lying  in  6  °  48  N., 
and  158  °  19  E.  We  entered  what  is  called  the  Middle  Harbor, 
lying  midway  between  the  two  Mission  Stations  of  Kiti  and  Shalong. 
Having  spent  eleven  days  there,  at  anchor,  and  visiting  various  lo- 
calities upon  the  island,  we  started  upon  our  home-passage,  which 
we  made  in  just  forty  days,  having  been  compelled  by  adverse 
winds  to  run  as  far  north  as  the  thirty-sixth  degree  of  latitude. 
During  our  homeward  passage,  we  experienced  a  severe  gale  on  the 
22d  of  July,  in  Latitude  34  °  30,  and  Longitude  166  °  E.  The 
vessel  was  "  hove  to  "  about  eighteen  hours.  The  gale  was  most  se- 
vere between  10  and  12  o'clock  at  night,  when  very  serious  fears 
were  entertained  for  our  safety.  Our  danger  was  imminent.  At  the 
time  we  were  a  thousand  miles  from  the  nearest  land,  perhaps  nearer 
Japan  than  any  other  habitable  part  of  the  globe.  By  the  merciful  in- 


terposition  of  God,  we  were  finally  permitted  to  conclude  our  voyage 
in  safety,  reaching  Honolulu,  Tuesday,  August  13th,  and  having  been, 
absent  just  ninety-three  days  :— 

Sailed  from  Honolulu,  May  llth. 

Passage  to  Apaiang  15  days. 

Kemain  at        "  -            -                       3  " 

Passage  to  Tarawa.  -            -             -            -  1  " 

Remain  at      "  -            -                       3  " 

Passage  to  Ebon,  -            -                         -   3  " 

Kemain  at      "  -            -                      4  " 

Passage  to  Kusaie,  •             -            -            -   6  " 

Remain  at        "  5  " 

Passage  to  Ponapi,     -  -            -                   2  " 

Remain  at      "     -  -            -            -           11  " 

Passage  to  Honolulu,  40  " 

Total,  -         93  days 

During  that  period,  our  anchor  was  dropped  six  times,  twice  at  Apai- 
ang, once  at  Tarawa,  once  at  Ebon,  once  at  Kusaie,  and  once  at  Ponapi. 
We  sailed,  in  round  numbers,  eight  thousand  miles,  running  as  far  south  as 
2  °  N.,  and  as  far  N.  as  36  ° ,  and  as  far  west  as  158  E.  L.  thus  our 
cruise  forms  nearly  an  oblong  parallelogram  upon  the  chart.  Deduct- 
ing twenty-six  days  that  we  were  lying  in  port,  from  ninety-three  that 
we  were  absent,  will  leave  sixty-seven  sailing-days,  hence,  we  averaged 
about  120  miles  each  sailing-day.  Our  best  day's  run  was  230  miles, 
and  our  poorest  three  miles,  when  we  were  nearly  becalmed  on  our 
passage  from  Ebon  to  Kusaie. 

The  pleasure  of  our  cruise,  and  the  benefit  derived  from  the  voyage, 
we  attribute,  in  no  small  degree,  to  the  excellent  management  of  Capt. 
Gelett,the  efficiency  of  his  officers,  Mr.  Mosher  and  Mr.  Johns,  and  the 
promptitude  and  obedience  of  the  seamen,  six  of  whom  were  Hawaiians, 
and  the  remainder,  Gabriel  Holmes  and  William  Gelett,  were  Ameri- 
cans. Our  steward,  cabin-boy  and  cook,  are  deserving  of  many  thanks. 
On  our  return  passage,  .the  cabin  was  filled  with  passengers,  including 
Mrs.  Sturges  and  daughter,  Mrs.  Doane  and  two  children,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Roberts  and  two  children,  Mrs.  Gelett,  Mr.  Ashmead,  Masters  C.  Corgett, 
and  Edward  Damon. 

III. 

GILBERT  OR  KINGSMILL  ISLANDERS,  MEMBERS  OF  THE 
POLYNESIAN  FAMILY. 

Proofs  are  abundant  that  the  inhabitants  of  these  islands  belong 
to  the  same  race  as  those  of  the  Hawaiian,  Marquesan,  Tahitian  and 
Samoan  Islands.  In  appearance,  they  most  strikingly  resemble  Ha- 
wanans.  There  is  evidently  a  mixture  of  people  coming  from  differ- 
ent parts  of  Polynesia.  Some  strikingly  resemble  the  Samoans,  or 
Navigator  Islanders.  Not  only  does  their  appearance,  cast  of  counte- 
nance, form  of  body,  color  of  hair,  eyes,  teeth,  and  other  character- 


istics  indicate  their  origin  to  be  the  same,  but   also   their   language  and 
many  of  their  customs  and  practices. 

In  conversing  with  the  native  missionaries,  we  asked  them,  if  they 
found  any  words  which  were  the  same  as  those  used  by  Hawaiian?. 
They  replied  that  they  did.  In  a  few  moments,  Kanoa,  Mr.  Bingham's 
associate  on  Apaiang,  furnished  us  the  following  list : 

English,  Hawaiian.  Gilbert. 

Fowl,  Moa,  Moa, 

Forbid,  Kabu,  Tabu, 

Woman,  Wahine,  Aine, 

Man,  Kanaka,  Aomata, 

Canoe,  Waa,  Wa, 

Fire,  Ahi,  Ai, 

Red,  Ulaula,  Uraura, 

Big  Fish,  Ulua,  Urua, 

Cocoanut,  Niu,  Ni, 

Eye,  Maka,  Mata. 

This  list,  we  are  confident,  might  be  extended  so  as  to  embrace  hun- 
dreds of  words.  We  hope  as  our  missionaries  become  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  the  language,  that  they  will  devote  some  attention  to 
this  interesting  subject. 

We  noticed  the  natives  of  Apaiang  kindling  fire,  by  rubbing  two 
sticks  together,  just  as  we  have  witnessed  Hawaiians  do  the  same  thing. 
The  natives  of  Hawaii  and  Apaiang,  carry  burdens  on  a  pole  in  a  sim- 
ilar manner.  The  more  familiarly  we  become  acquainted  with  this 
people,  the  more  were  we  impressed  with  their  striking  resemblance  to 
Hawaiians,  although,  as  we  shall  show,  many  of  their  customs  and 
practices  are  strikingly  at  variance  and  dissimilar  to  what  is  to  be  found 
in  other  parts  of  Polynesia. 

It  has  been  asserted  by  some  writers  that  the  system  of  tabu  did 
not  exist  among  the  Gilbert  Islanders.  Such  a  statement  is  remarka- 
bly at  variance  with  facts.  The  tabus  of  this  people  are  as  marked  as 
those  of  other  branches  of  the  Polynesian  family.  Sabbath  morning, 
June  1,  while  the  people  were  assembling,  for  public  worship  in  one  of 
the  villages  in  Tarawa,  Mr.  Bingham  invited  the  children,  who  were 
occupying  a  house  adjoining  the  council  house.  They  could  not  enter 
the  council,  while  they  were  undergoing  the  whitening  process,  because 
it  was  tabu. 

It  was  tabu  for  women  to  sit  down  upon  the  mast  of  a  canoe,  when 
it  lay  upon  the  ground. 

It  was  tabu  for  boys,  whose  heads  had  been  shaved,  and  over  whom 
certain  incantations  had  been  performed,  to  eat  certain  parts  of  the 
meat  of  the  cocoanut,  and  also  certain  kinds  of  fish.  These  boys 
were  required  to  abstain,  supposing  it  would  make  them  brave  in  war. 

Mr.  Bingham  related  an  incident  connected  with  one  of  the  council 
houses  in  Apaiang,  showing  that  certain  women  had  broken  tabu  by 
entering  it.  The  house  was  purified  and  cleansed,  by  offerings. 


IV. 

COUNCIL  HOUSES. 

The  existence  of  what  have  been  styled  council  houses,  forms  a  most 
striking  peculiarity  in  the  political  and  social  organization  of  society 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  Gilbert  Islands.  A  council  house  is  to  b« 
found  in  every  village.  We  visited  three  villages  upon  Apaiang,  and 
seven  villages  upon  Tarawa,  and  in  every  village  these  houses  existed. 
They  are  built  after  the  same  general  style  of  house-building  among 
those  islanders,  although  larger  and  more  substantial  than  common 
dwellings.  The  uses  are  various  to  which  these  houses  are  devoted. 
An  Englishman  residing  upon  Tarawa  called  them  houses  of  parlia- 
ment. An  American  would  style  them,  perhaps,  house  of  represent- 
atives or  court  houses.  When  subjects  of  a  political,  civil  or  criminal 
nature  are  to  be  discussed,  the  people  hurry,  en  masse,  to  the  council 
house.  When  one  king  would  declare  war  against  another,  he  sum- 
mons his  subjects  to  these  places.  There  questions  are  discussed.  The 
king  sits  as  president  of  the  council.  His  chiefs  and  the  landholders 
express  their  minds.  He  quietly  listens  until  all  have  finished4,  when 
he  will  make  known  his  opinion,  and  that  decides  the  question,  pro  or 
con.  No  vote  is  taken. 

If  a  crime  has  been  committed,  the  people  assemble  at  the  council 
house  to  hear  what  the  king  shall  decide  in  regard  to  the  punishment 
of  the  criminal.  Death  is  the  most  common  penalty  for  theft  and  adul- 
tery. This  is  the  case  when  the  offender  is  a  man  of  low  rank ;  but  if 
a  personage  of  importance,  then  he  is  fined  by  taking  away  his  lands. 

The  council  houses  are  the  hula  or  dance  houses.  For  this  purpose 
they  are  brought  into  frequent  use.  Companies  of  strolling  and  abani 
doned  women  traverse  the  islands,  traveling  from  village  to  village  for 
the  entertainment  of  "lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort."  The  dances  are 
performed'  in  the  night,  and  are  attended  with  those  scenes  of  midnight 
revelry,  debauchery  and  licentiousness,  which  degrade  and  debase  the 
people.  Married  women  are  not  allowed  to  be  present.  Would  that 
the  same  remark  might  be  made  with  reference  to  their  husbands  ! 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  these  council  houses  will  hereafter  be  devoted 
to  better  and  holier  purposes.  Already  many  of  them  have  been  used 
as  chapels  or  houses  of  Divine  worship.  When  the  missionaries  are 
upon  their  tours,  and  would  gather  the  people  to  hear  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel,  the  council  houses  are  uniformly  the  places  of  resort.  We 
attended  public  worship  three  times  on  the  Sabbath  spent  upon  Tarawa, 
and  each  time  the  services  were  there  held.  On  one  occasion  we 
entered  the  village  before  our  companions  had  arrived.  The  little  chil- 
dren led  the  way  to  the  council  house,  where  the  meeting  was  held. 


V. 

GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  GILBERT  ISLANDS. 

Each  island  of  the  group  is  under  a  separate  and  independent  king. 
He  is  the  head  chief  of  the  island,  although  there  are  many  other  chiefs. 
The  inhabitants  appear  to  be  divided  into  four  classes  or  grades,  viz  : 

1.  King. 

2.  Chiefs. 

3.  Landholders,  and 

4.  Slaves. 

The  position  of  the  king  is  peculiar,  for  while  acknowledged  as 
sovereign,  yet  he  receives  no  tribute  or  taxes.  He  rules,  in  some 
respects,  with  the  will  of  a  tyrant  or  despot,  yet  in  others  he  appears 
destitute  of  all  authority.  He  does  not  maintain  any  royal  state,  or 
keep  a  guard.  The  people  appear  to  have  but  very  little  respect  for  their 
kings,  by  no  means  approaching  to  that  obsequious  and  servile 
demeanor  which  is  exacted  by  the  ruling  sovereign  in  some  other  parts 
of  Polynesia. 

THE"  CHIEFS — Exercise  authority  in  their  respective  villages,  and 
among  their  own  people. 

THE  LANDHOLDERS — Comprise  the  great  body  of  the  people.  All  the 
land  is  owned  by  some  one.  The  long  and  narrow  islands  are  divided 
and  sub-divided  into  sections,  the  lines  running  from  the  lagoon  to  the 
ocean  outside.  They  are  very  tenacious  of  their  lands;  a  man  is 
esteemed  and  holds  sway  according  to  the  amount  of  land  which  he 
possesses,  and  the  number  of  cocoanut  trees  thereon. 

THE  SLAVES. — Slavery  exists  in  a  mild  form.  The  slave  is  usually  a 
captive  taken  in  war.  The  master  exacts  labor.  The  slave  is  a  domes- 
tic servant.  The  master  employs  him  in  collecting  cocoanuts,  pandanus 
fruit  or  fishing. 

The  political  affairs  of  the  islands  are  far  from  being  in  a  settled  state. 
Wars  are  frequent.  The  people  upon  one  island — as,  for  example,  the 
people  upon  Tarawa — are  ever  ready  to  wage  war  with  those  upon 
Apaiang.  So  the  chiefs  are  ever  ready  to  plot  for  the  overthrow  of  the 
king.  So  far  as  we  were  able  to  judge  of  the  present  political  affairs  of 
the  group,  they  very  much  resemble  the  condition  of  things  on  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  previous  to  the  conquest  by  Kamehameha  I.  It  would 
doubtless  now  prove  an  incalculable  blessing  if  the  whole  group  was 
placed  under  some  powerful  dynasty. 

VI. 

ROYAL  FAMILY  OF  TARAWA. 

Tentebau  is  really  the  sovereign  of  this  island,  although  his  grandson, 
Tekourabi,  is  the  acting  king.  Tentebau  is  a  very  old  man,  probably 
between  eighty  and  ninety  years  of  age.  He  has  a  very  numerous 
progeny.  He  has  seven  children,  (including  five  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters,) twenty-three  grandchildren,  twenty-one  great-grandchildren,  and 


10 

two  great-great-grandchildren.  Should  the  old  man  live  many  more 
years,  at  the  average  increase  upon  Tarawa,  his  descendants  will  become 
very  numerous.  His  family  is  married  and  intermarried  in  every 
village.  The  old  man  has  been  a  famous  warrior.  His  body  now  bears 
the  scars  and  marks  of  many  a  fierce  encounter  with  his  enemies.  He 
says  that  he  has  been  engaged  in  nineteen  battles.  The  expression  of 
his  countenance  very  much  resembles  the  portrait  of  Kamehameha  I., 
hanging  in  the  palace  at  Honolulu. 

Tentaberanau,  the  son  of  the  old  king,  would  naturally  be  the  reign- 
ing sovereign,  but  in  consequence  of  his  total  blindness,  he  has  resigned 
in  favor  of  his  son  Tekourabi,  mentioned  below.  This  is  a  singular 
state  of  things.  One  person  too  old  to  rule,  and  another  willing  to 
resign  because  totally  blind.  This  blindness  is  the  result  of  a  wound 
received  in  battle. 

Tekourabi,  the  ruling  king,  is  about  thirty  years  of  age.  In  personal 
appearance,  large  and  fleshy,  yet  apparently  a  man  of  great  strength. 
He  has  but  one  wife,  and  several  children.  In  his  habits  and  manner 
of  life,  he  is  a  thorough  Tarawan,  giving  himself  up  to  pleasure  and  the 
rollicking  habits  of  a  "  fast  man,"  yet  he  is  a  stern  ruler  when  he  takes 
hold  of  the  reins  of  government ;  the  life  of  a  subject  is  of  but  small 
account  at  such  times.  The  following  instance  indicates  the  manner  of 
administering  justice  in  Tarawa.  When  Mahoe  and  Haina  were  sta- 
tioned there  nine  months  ago,  the  king  promised  his  protection.  The 
missionaries  suffered  from  thieves.  The  king  warned  the  people  to 
beware,  but  a  theft  was  again  committed.  The  thief  was  detected,  and 
the  king,  with  his  own  hand,  put  the  man  to  death — much  to  the  regret 
of  the  missionaries,  but  without  their  knowledge.  This  summary 
method  has  put  a  stop  to  all  annoyances  of  this  kind,  so  that  now  the 
missionaries  are  living  in  the  utmost  personal  security. 

Should  any  of  our  readers  be  disposed  to  censure  the  penal  code  as 
administered  by  the  king  of  Tarawa,  let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  not  a 
century  has  passed  away  since  an  English  Judge  declared,  "  If  you  im- 
prison at  home,  the  criminal  is  soon  thrown  back  upon  you,  hardened  in 
guilt.  If  you  transport,  you  corrupt  infant  societies,  you  sow  the  seeds 
of  atrocious  crimes  over  the  habitable  globe.  There  is  no  regenerating 
a  felon  in  this  life.  And,  for  his  own  sake,  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of 
society,  1  think  it  better  to  hang?'  Those  were  days  when  the  English 
penal  code  made  deer-killing,  sheep-stealing,  cattle-maiming  and  tree- 
destroying,  capital  crimes. 

It  was  our  pleasure  to  see  four  generations  of  the  royal  family  of  Tarawa 
present  at  divine  service  on  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath,  June  1,  when  the 
Kev.  Mr.  Bingham  improved  the  occasion  to  speak  of  the  sorrow  of  the 
missionaries,  that  a  man  should  have  been  put  to  death  for  theft, 
and  informed  the  king  that  a  severe  fine,  or  some  other  punishment, 
would  be  preferable. 


11 
vn. 

WHAT    ARE    THE    PROSPECTS    OF     THE    MISSION    UPON 
THE    GILBERT    ISLANDS? 

We  answer  unhesitatingly  in  that  good  old  Saxon  word,  good.  A 
good  beginning  has  been  made.  There  has  a  most  favorable  impression 
gone  abroad.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Bingham,  assisted  by  Hawaiian  Mission- 
aries, has  been  laboring  for  years  upon  Apaiang.  We  will  now  en- 
deavor to  state  what  they  have  accomplished.  They  have  acquired  a 
correct  knowledge  of  the  language.  Small  portions  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament have  been  printed  in  that  tongue.  Mr.  Bingham  hopes  to  have 
ready  for  the  press  at  the  end  of  another  year,  the  Gospels  of  Matthew, 
Mark,  Luke,  John  and  the  Book  of  Acts.  A  small  collection  of  hymns 
has  also  been  printed.  Some  of  these  are  original,  and  were  written 
by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.,  while  others  are  translations  of  several  English 
hymns,  familiar  to  all,  viz  : 

"  From  Greenland's  Icy  Mountains,"   &c. 

"  There  is  a  happy  land,"  &c. 

"  I  love  to  steal  awhile  away,"  &c. 

"  Mysterious  Sweetness  sits  enthroned,"  &c. 

"  When  thou,  my  righteous  Judge,"  &c. 

"  Guide  me,  0  thou  Great  Jehovah,"  &c> 

Some  primary  reading  books,  have  also  been  prepared. 

At  the  station,  Mrs.  B.  and  the  wife  of  Kanoa,  have  each  been  en- 
gaged in  teaching  a  week-day  school.  Twenty-four  pupils  have  been 
taught  to  read,  and  received  much  elementary  instruction  in  geography, 
and  other  useful  branches.  It  was  our  privilege  to  attend  an  examina- 
tion of  these  pupils.  The  amount  of  Scriptural  knowledge  which  they 
had  acquired  was  truly  gratifying.  Several  of  Mrs.  B.'s  pupils  would 
answer  questions  equal  to  the  advanced  classes  in  the  very  best  Sab- 
bath Schools  of  Christain  lands.  It  was  our  privilege  to  examine  ijer 
pupils,  as  well  as  those  taught  by  Kanoa's  wife,  and  the  wives  of  the 
Hawaiian  Missionaries  on  Tarawa.  Olivia,  the  wife  of  Mahoe,  on 
Tarawa,  has  done  herself  great  credit.  Although  she  has  been  at  that 
station  but  nine  months,  still  she  has  formed  a  promising  class  of  pu- 
pils. It  was  a  pleasant  sight  to  see  Olivia,  a  pupil  of  Miss  Ogden, 
thus  engaged  as  a  most  efficient  missionary  among  the  poor  and  de- 
graded people  of  Tarawa.  The  wife  of  Haina,  the  other  missionary,  is 
a  most  worthy  and  exemplary  Christian  woman,  faithfully  occupied  in 
her  appropriate  missionary  work.  No  where  has  it  ever  been  our 
privilege  to  witness  three  Hawaiian  families  (Kanoa's,  Haina's  and 
Mahoe's)  which  were  better  conducted,  or  more  exemplary.  They  all 
have  children.  We  think  such  families  cannot  but  exert  a  good  salu- 
tary influence  among  a  heathen  people.  Would  that  every  island  of 
the  Gilbert  Group  had  such  mission  families  living  among  them. 

The  work  at  Mr.  Bingham's  Station,  on  Apaiang,  has  assumed  a 
most  interesting  aspect.  Several  give  the  most  gratifying  evidence 
that  they  are  truly  converted  souls.  Two  have  been  baptized.  One  of 


12 

these  is  a  remarkable  youth,  of  about  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  Mr.  B's  family  about  one  year,  and  is  actively  en- 
gaged with  Mr.  B.  in  the  work  of  translation.  The  assistance  which 
he°renders  is  vastly  important.  After  they  had  collected  about  two 
thousand  words  of  the  language,  Mr.  B.  offered  this  young  man  one 
dollar  a  hundred  for  additional  words.  He  had  already  gathered  about 
six  hundred.  In  the  work  of  translation  he  goes  over  with  Mr.  B.,  word 
by  word  of  the  New  Testament.  Mrs.  B.  too  lends  her  aid,  and  when 
the  translation  is  completed,  then  she  will  prepare  a  neat  and  beautiful 
copy  for  the  press.  If  there  be  a  sight  on  earth,  which  we  may  sup- 
pose would  arrest  the  attention  of  the  Apocalyptic  Angel,  flying  through 
the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach,  it  must  be 
that  group  of  translators  upon  the  lone  Island  of  Apaiang.  If  it  were 
in  our  power,  we  should  delight  to  transfer  the  living  picture  to  the 
canvas,  with  the  genius  and  skill  of  an  Italian  painter. 

Among  the  candidates  who  are  affording  pleasing  evidences  that  they 
will  ere  long  become  united  with  the  church  of  Christ,  are  the  King 
and  Queen  of  Apaiang.  They  were  both  at  the  Wednesday  evening 
prayer-meeting,  May  28th.  It  was  our  privilege  to  unite  with  those 
heathen  converts  in  prayer,  led  by  the  King.  At  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ing, the  additional  privilege  was  afforded  of  uniting  in  the  celebration 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Could  the  friends  of  missions  have  been  pres- 
ent in  that  assembly,  I  think  they  would  have  agreed  with  us  in  the 
remark,  that  a  good  work  had  commenced  upon  Apaiang — that  a  good 
beginning  had  been  made  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  Gilbert  Islands, 
and  that  there  was  a  reasonable  prospect  that  the  good  work  would 
progress.  We  entertain  no  manner  of  doubt  upon  this  subject,  provided 
the  work  of  missions  is  vigorously  prosecuted. 

VIII. 

THE  REV.  MR.  BINGHAM'S  RETURN  TO  HONOLULU. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bingham,  Jr.,  at  Honolulu,  in  1857> 
several  of  the  chiefs  who  had  long  been  intimate  friends  of  his  fa- 
ther, and  many  others,  were  anxious  that  he  should  remain  and  occupy 
the  post  so  long  occupied  by^  his  honored  father.  They  reminded 
him,  that  his  father,  on  the  bTrth  of  the  son,  promised  them  that  he 
should  be  their  teacher.  But  Mr.  Bingham,  in  consultation  with  his 
brethren,  decided  that  it  was  not  expedient  for  him  to  turn  aside  from 
his  purpose  to  go  and  preach  the  gospel  in  "  the  regions  beyond."  In 
1860,  with  the  full  approbation  of  the  Prudential  Committee,  and  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Clark,  pastor  of  the  church  in  Honolulu,  whose  health 
and  advancing  years  required  that  he  should  be  relieved  of  a  part,  at 
leastj  of  the  many  labors  of  so  important  a  post,  the  First  Native 
Church  of  Honolulu  made  out  a  formal  call  for  Mr.  Bingham  to  return 
and  become  their  pastor.  This  call  was  approved  of  by  the  Hawaiian  Evan- 
gelical Association.  The  call  was  forwarded  by  the  Morning  Star  last 
year,  but  Mr.  Bingham  did  not  see  his  way  clear  to  accept  the  call,  but 
intimated  that  he  might  do  so  at  a  future  time,  under  certain  conditipps. 


13 

On  the  return  of  the  Morning  Star  this  year  to  his  station,  although  the 
church  did  not  think  best  to  renew  the  call  formally,  yet  the  pastor  of 
the  church  informed  him  that  the  door  was  still  open,  and  the  call  tor 
his  labors  was  more  urgent  than  last  year,  referring  the  whole  de- 
cision of  the  case  to  his  own  judgment.  It  is  proper  to  say  also, 
that  the  subject  was  again  brought  to  his  mind  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
American  Board  in  Boston. 

As  we  have  just  remarked,  the  call  was  renewed  this  year,  and  we 
were  requested  to  "  second  "  that  call.  Before  consenting  to  do  so,  we 
were  rejoiced  that  the  privilege  would  be  allowed  us  of  going  upon  the 
ground  and  viewing  the  call  from  a  stand-point  on  heathen,  not  Chris- 
tian soil.  On  our  arrival  at  Apaiang,  the  subject  was  very  soon 
made  the  topic  of  conversation,  and  was  thoroughly  and  prayerfully 
discussed.  But  while  the  subject  was  under  consideration,  in  company 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bingham,  we  called  upon  the  King  of  Apaiang, 
visiting  the  church  on  our  way  to  the  council  house,  where  we  met  his 
Majesty.  Having  been  introduced,  and  the  object  of  our  visit  to  Mi- 
cronesia stated,  with  Mr.  Bingham  as  interpreter,  we  conversed 
awhile  respecting  Capt.  Handy,  bark  Belle,  and  other  topics;  at  length 
the  subject  of  Mr.  Bingham's  removal  to  Honolulu,  was  taken  up.  We 
informed  the  King  that  the  people  of  Honolulu  had  sent  a  request  for 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bingham  to  return  to  Honolulu,  and  we  stated  also  the 
nature  of  the  call.  We  then  asked  him  what  was  his  "  thought  upon 
the  subject."  After  a  moment's  silence,  with  a  countenance  expressive 
of  perplexity  and  concern,  he  replied,  "If  Bingham  goes  to  Honolulu, 
who  will  be  our  friend?"  In  the  course  of  our  conversation,  he  very 
soon  repeated  the  same  remark,  "  If  Bingham  goes  to  Honolulu,  who 
will  be  our  friend  ?"  This  suggestive  view  of  the  subject  led  us  to  be 
very  cautious  how  we  endeavored  to  persuade  a  missionary  to  leave 
his  field,  and  return  to  preach  in  a  Christian  land.  I  remarked,  how- 
ever, to  the  King,  "  Suppose  Mr.  Bingham  goes,  and  Dr.  Gulick  is  sent 
to  take  his  place."  He  replied  that  "  that  might  do." 

While  this  conversation  was  going  forward,  a  group  of  natives 
gathered  around  and  silently  listened  to  what  was  said.  We  were 
much  impressed  with  the  question  of  an  old  native  woman,  evidently 
one  of  the  common  people.  She  asked,  "  Have  you  no  missionary 
at  Oahu,  that  you  came  to  take  ours  away  ?"  We  could  not  reply 
that  Oahu  was  destitute  of  missionaries.  We  returned  from  that  in- 
terview firmly  resolved  that  Mr.  Bingham  should  not  be  induced  to 
leave  for  Oahu  through  any  solicitation  on  our  part.  We  were  not 
prepared  to  say,  that  duty  might  not  call  him  away  from  Apaiang,  but 
we  did  see  that  he  occupied  a  position  of  influence,  usefulness  and 
importance,  second  to  no  other  within  the  range  of  our  knowledge. 
We  saw,  moreover,  that  a  missionary  and  his  wife,  who  have  acquired 
a  heathen  language,  and  are  usefully  engaged  in  their  work,  are  too 
valuable  servants  to  be  removed  from  their  station,  unless  for  the  most 
important  considerations,  and  under  the  pressure  of  the  most  weighty  calls. 

It  now  remained  for  Mr.  Bingham  to  return  a  definite  answer  to 
the  call  from  the  First  Church  in  Honolulu.  He  subsequently  gave 


14 

us  to  understand,  that  he  had  decided  to  accept  the  call,  and  enter 
upon  his  duties  next  year,  provided  the  following  conditions  were 
complied  with,  viz: 

Pirst The  Kev.  Dr.  Gulick,  or  some  other  suitable  missionary,  be 

sent  to  take  his  place. 

Secondly — His   honored  father  should  return  to  Honolulu,  and 

Thirdly — His  removal  should  not  take  place  until  the  close  of  an- 
other year's  misssonary's  labors,  when  he  would  have  the  gospels  ready 
for  publication,  and  other  work  accomplished. 

Hence,  on  the  return  of  the  Morning  Star,  next  year,  we  may  con- 
fidently expect  to  see  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bingharn,  provided  those  conditions 
are  complied  with.  Their  arrival  will  be  hailed  by  many  with  delight, 
and  most  surely  no  Christian  brother,  could  become  Pastor  of  the  First 
Church  of  Honolulu,  whom  we  should  more  delight  to  see  occupying 
that  important  position,  if  his  present  post  can  be  as  ably  manned, 
otherwise  we  hope  he  may  not  come.  Should  this  measure  be  carried  out, 
we  shall  expect  that  his  influence  here  will  continue  to  be  felt  in  behalf 
of  the  Microruesian  Mission,  and  we  foresee  many  ways  in  which  he 
may  still  labor  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  of  Apaiang.  In  conclusion,  we 
would  add,  that  throughout  the  protracted  correspondence  upon  this 
subject,  the  removal  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bingham  will  not  be  accomplished 
through  any  self-seeking  on  their  part,  for  we  are  fully  confident  that 
both  of  them  would  now  prefer  living  and  laboring  at  Apaiang,  rather 
than  in  Honolulu. 

IX. 

SEA-SICK  POETRY. 

Kind  reader*  you  may  have  perused  what  scholars  denominate  lyric, 
tragic,  epic  and  doggerel  poetry,  but  we  doubt  whether  any  specimens 
of  sea-sick  poetry  ever  fell  under  your  observation.  During  our  home- 
ward passage  from  Micronesia,  two  of  our  lady  passengers  were  sadly 
afflicted  with  sea-sickness.  Their  cases  were  desperate !  Not  even 
Jayne's  medicines  could  effect  a  cure  !  Perhaps  there  is  no  sovereign 
cure  for  sea-sickness  but  that  recommended  by  Punch,  who  prescribes 
for  sea-sick  invalids,  "  not  to  go  to  sea  !" 

We  ought  not  to  omit  mentioning  the  fact,  that  the  "  Ode  "  was  sug- 
gested by  a  dream,  in  which  the  half-conscious  sleeper  fancied  herself 
endeavoring  to  indite  a  poetic  effusion  to  "  an  old  sail."  She  awoke, 
exclaiming : 

**  Oh  lend  me  your  wings,  old  sail" — 

When   her  suffering  comrade  caught  the  inspiration,  and  penned  the 
ode,  to  which  a  reply  was  returned  on  the  following  day. 

Ode  to  an  Old  Sail. 

Oh  lend  me  your  wings,  Old  Sail ! 

And  quickly  I'll  hasten  away 
From  the  chilling  breath  of  this  eastern  gale, 

To  the  fields  of  new  mown  hay.  * 


16 

Oh  lend  me  your  wings,  Old  Sail ! 

For  here  no  ease  I  find — 
Old  sea-sickness,  monster  grim  and  pale, 

Seeks  all  rny  powers  to  bind. 

Oh  lend  me  your  wings,  Old  Sail ! 

I'm  weary  of  lingering  here — 
My  usual  sources  of  comfort  fail, 

I'm  dismal,  sad  and  drear. 

Oh  lend  me  your  wings  Old  Sail ! 

And  adieu  I'll  quickly  say, 
To  my  suffering  comrade,  wan  and  pale, 

And  hasten  gladly  away.  S s. 

Morning  Star,  July  30,  1861. 

Reply  of  the  "  Old  Sail." 

Do  you  ask  for  the  wing  of  an  old  rent  sail, 

To  bear  you  far  hence  away 
To  the  land  where  your  nights  may  be  free  from  pain, 

Nor  sickness  o'er  burden  the  day  ? 

When  the  Morning  Star  saw  her  natal  day, 

My  canvas  was  bright  and  new, 
And  I  hastened  her  on  'neath  the  favoring  gale, 

O'er  the  waves  of  old  ocean  blue. 

Now  I  lie  on  the  deck  but  a  shattered  thing, 

And  to  hear  my  doom  I  stay, 
While  with  pity  I  gaze  on  the  sea-sick  ones, 

1  gladly  would  speed  on  their  way. 

Though  furled  are  my  pinions  and  never  again 
May  be  spread  to  the  breeze  or  the  gale, 

With  hearty  good  will,  I  will  render  my  aid 
To  strengthen  some  other  weak  sail. 

So  ye  who  are  weary  and  worn  with  your  voyage, 

And  feel  that  your  life  is  but  vain, 
May  strengthen  a  comrade  and  bid  her  look  up, 

And  hope  still  the  have^n  to  gain. 

When  the  storm-king  in  vengeance  shall  ride  o'er  the  main 
And  wild  waves  threaten  swift  to  devour, 

When  the  masts,  spars  and  sails  and  the  plank  'neath  your  feet. 
You  are  fearing  may  leave  you  each  hour, 

Look  beyond,  where  no  cloud  overshadows  the  day, 

Where  no  surges  or  tempests  shall  roar, 
And  lean  on  His  bosom  who  giveth  thee  rest, 

When  life's  weary  voyage  shall  be  o'er.  G tt. 

Mor?iing  Star,  July  31,  1861, 


15 
X. 

FACTS    AND  FIGURES    ABOUT  GILBERT  ISLANDS. 

POPULATION. — Captain  Kandell,  a  cocoa-nut  oil  trader,  who  has  long 
been  familiar  with  the  islands,  and  has  probably  more  influence  through- 
out the  group,  than  any  other  foreigner,  furnished  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gulick, 
with  the  following,  as  the  population  of  the  Gilbert  Islands: — 

Makin  and  Butaritari,  (Pitt's  Island)  -       2,000 

Marakei,  (Mathew's  Island)     -  -            -  2,000 

APAIANG,  (Charlotte  Island)         -  -            3,000 
TARAWA,  (Knox,  properly  Knoy's  Island,)        -  3,500 

Maina,  (Hall's  Island)         -            -  -        4,000 

Kuria,  (Woodle's  Island)         -  -            -    1,500 

Aranuka,  (Henderville's  Island)       -  -        1,000 

Apamama,  (Simpson's  Island)  -            -   5,000 

Nonouti,  (Sydenham's  Island)   -  -            6,000  to  7,000 

Taputeuwea,  (Drummond's  Island)  -            -   7,000  to  8,000 

Peru,  (Francis  Island)     -            -  -           1,500  to  2,000 

Nukunau,  (Byron's  Island)     -  -            -   5,000  to  6,000 

Onoatoa,  (Clerk's  Island)              -  -           4,000 

Tamana,  (Rotcher's  Island)    -  -            -   3,000 

Arorai  (Hope  Island)                      -  -        2,000  to  2,500 


50,500  to  54,000 

FOOD  OF  THE  INHABITANTS. — With  the  exception  of  fish  and  a  very 
few  cocoanuts,  the  food  of  the  people  consists  almost  entirely  of  the 
fruit  of  the  pandanus  tree.  They  eat  the  fruit  raw,  and  also  prepare  it 
for  long  preservation.  It  must  be  exceedingly  nutritious.  Let  no  one 
imagine  that  the  fruit  of  the  pandanus  on  the  Gilbert  Islands,  is  the 
same  hard  and  impalatable  article  as  that  found  upon  the  Hawaiian 
Islands.  There  is  nearly  as  great  a  contrast  between  the  two  as  be- 
tween a  crab  apple  and  a  lucious  Oregon  apple.  It  is  not  only  nutritious, 
but  must  be  an  exceedingly  healthy  diet.  In  no  part  of  the  world, 
have  we  seen  a  more  healthy  community  v than  we  found  upon  Apaiang 
and  Tarawa,  the  only  two  islands  of  the  group  which  we  saw. 

COMMERCE. — The  only  commerce  of  the  islands  consists  in  the  sale 
of  cocoa-nut  oil  for  tobacco.  The  natives  in  their  degradation  and 
heathenism,  manifest  but  very  litHe  disposition  for  trade  except  in  to- 
bacco and  fire  arms.  A  Sydney  firm  has  been  engaged  in  the  oil 
trade  and  it  proved  exceedingly  profitable.  As  the  influence  of  the 
mission  begins  to  be  felt,  a  desire  is  awakening  to  obtain  some  other 
articles  in  the  way  of  traffic  except  tobacco.  A  few  are  beginning  to 
ask  for  cloth,  knives,  hatchets,  and  other  articles.  The  King  of  Apaiang 
forwarded  five  hundred  dollars,  by  Capt.  Gelett,  to  purchase  lumber  for 
a  small  house.  He  had  obtained  the  money,  as  a  commission,  for  pro- 
curing oil  of  his  people  for  the  traders.  Judging  from  the  two  islands 
which  we  visited,  there  is  but  little  to  tempt  the  trader  to  visit  those 
shores. 


17 

CULTIVATION. — The  islands  do  not  admit  of  cultivation.  There  is  lit- 
erally no  soil.  The  islands  are  formed  of  sand,  broken  coral  and 
shells,  with  a  thin  layer  of  decomposed  leaves  and  other  vegetable 
substances.  The  number  of  grasses,  trees,  and  vines  is  exceedingly 
small.  At  very  great  labor  the  natives  cultivate  a  coarse  species  of 
kalo,  which  they  reserve  for  feasts,  not  eating  it  as  an  ordinary  article 
of  diet.  All  the  islands  of  this  group  are  low,  and  of  coral  formation. 

APAIANG. — This  island  is  about  fifty  miles  in  circumference.  Twen- 
ty-seven miles  of  the  island  is  wooded.  It  varies  from  one-eighth,  to 
one-fourth  of  a  mile  in  width.  If  all  the  land  of  the  island  was 
brought  into  a  compact  form,  it  would  not  form  an  island  four  miles 
in  diameter. 

FOREIGN  INTERCOURSE. — The  Gilbert  Islands  were  first  discovered 
in  1765.  They  were  next  visited  by  Captains  Marshall  and  Gilbert, 
commanding  the  Scarborough  and  Charlotte  In  1824,  the  French 
navigator,  Duperrey,  visited  and  explored  some  islands  of  this  group. 
The  most  thorough  exploration  and  survey  ever  made,  was  performed 
by  the  U.  S.  Exploring  Expedition,  in  1841. 

In  1844,  the  whaleship,  Columbia,  Capt.  Kelly,  of  New  London, 
was  wrecked  on  Sydenham's  Island.  In  1848,  Capt.  Spencer,  of  the 
Triton,  was  very  nearly  being  cut  off  at  the  same  island.  On  the 
same  island  the  Flying  Fox,  Capt.  Brown,  was  wrecked  and  in  1852, 
the  whale  ship  Ontario,  Capt.  Slocum,  was  wrecked  upon  Pitt's  Island. 

At  the  present  time,  but  very  few  foreigners  are  residing  upon  the 
islands.  There  is  but  very  little  inducement  for  foreigners  to  settle 
upon  any  of  these  islands.  On  Tarawa  we  found  only  two  foreigners 
except  the  Hawaiian  Missionaries.  These  are  engaged  in  collecting 
cocoanut  oil  for  Capt,  Randell. 

SOCIAL  STANDING  OF  THE  PEOPLE. — They  are  an  exceedingly  debased 
and  degraded  portion  of  the  human  family.  They  wear  but  little 
clothing.  Both  sexes,  until  twelve  or  fourteen  years  of  age,  are  en- 
tirely destitute  of  clothing.  Adults  wear  but  a  slight  covering ;  the 
males  tie  around  their  bodies  a  coarse  mat,  while  females  wear  a  gir- 
dle of  fringed  leaves  a  few  inches  wide.  We  can  add  our  testimony 
to  the  truthfulness  of  the  following  language  of  Dr.  Gulick: 

"  They  are  pre-eminently  indelicate  and  indecent,  possessing  very  lit- 
tle, if  any,  of  that  refined  gentility  found  on  Ponapi.  Many  of  their  cus- 
toms regarding  the  dead  are  abominably  filthy  and  disgusting,  such  as  pre- 
serving the  bodies  for  days  and  weeks,  and  carefully  daubing  over  them- 
selves the  froth  or  ooze  from  the  mouth  of  the  deceased.  The  wife 
will  frequently  for  weeks  after  the  death  of  her  husband  continue  to 
sleep  beside  the  corpse,  under  the  same  coverlid ;  and  a  mother  will 
sometimes  carry  the  body  of  her  infant  about  with  her  till  it  falls  to 
pieces,  and  then  she  will  cleanse  the  bones  and  carry  them.  Indeed,  it 
is  common  to  preserve  the  bones,  particularly  the  skull,  of  the  dead, 
and  carry  them  about,  at  times  carefully  anointing  them  with  oil,  and 
even  sharing  food  with  them. 

"  Heathenism  is  here  seen  in  some  of  its  lowest  and  most  disgusting 
forms,  though  it  may  be  said  in  alleviation  that  there  is  little  of  that 
deliberate  cruelty  and  none  of  that  religious  sacrifice  of  life  found  in 
3 


18 

many  of  the  groups  of  the  Pacific.  Their  religious  rites  differ  in  no 
material  respects  from  those  already  described  in  connection  with  other 
groups.  Stones,  the  incarnations  of  deities,  are  found  everywhere, 
some  of  which  are  so  noted  as  to  be  the  recipients  of  gifts  of  food,  and 
to  receive  the  prayers  of  certain  priestly  ones." 

In  their  moral  and  social  condition  they  are  far,  very  far  below 
Hawaiians.  The  natives  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  are  a  civilized  and 
Christian  people,  compared  with  the  Gilbert  Islanders. 

XL 

FAREWELL  GLANCE    AT  THE  GILBERT  ISLANDERS. 

"  O  soft  are  the  breezes  that  waye  the  tallcoooa, 

And  sweet  are  the  odors  that  breathe  on  the  gale; 
Fair  sparkles  the  wave  as  it  breaks  on  the  coral, 
Or  wafts  to  the  white  beach  the  mariner's  sail." 

Before  our  eyes  catch  a  glimpse  of  Ebon  and  our  attention  is  arrest- 
ed by  the  Marshall  Islanders'let  us  take  one  more  glance  at  the  dwell- 
ers upon  the  low  coral  islands  of  the  Gilbert  Group.  Poets  may  sing 
of  the  charms  of  a  tropic  isle,'where  waves  the  tall  cocoa,  and  the 
waves  break  on  the  coral ;  the  disciples  of  Rosseau  may  discourse  up- 
on the  happy  lot  of  the  savage ;  but  it  requires  only  a  passing  glance  to 
dispel  the  poet's  dreams  and  the  skeptic's  boasts.  However  much  the 
charms  of  nature  may  delight  the  eye  and  please  the  fancy,  yet  the 
actual  sight  of  crowds  of  naked  men,  women  and  children,  ignorant, 
filthy,  and  degraded,  is  a  most  sad  and  heart-affecting  spectacle.  We 
envf  not  the  man  who  can  extol  the  condition  of  the  heathen,  who  are 
living  separate,  destitute  and  apart  from  the  blessings  of  Christianity, 
and  much  less  do  we  envy  those  who,  from  Christian  lands,  visiting 
those  degraded  people,  contribute  to  introduce  among  them  the  vices 
and  diseases  of  civilized  society. 

Some  of  the  southern  islands  of  the  group  have  been  very  much 
corrupted  by  the  demoralizing  influence  of  foreign  intercourse.  Not 
so  at  Apaiang  and  Tarawa.  But  very  few  foreigners  have  ever  lived 
among  the  inhabitants  of  these  two  islands,  or  others  in  the  immediate 
vicinity.  There  is  little,  if  anything,  to  tempt  the  trader  among  them, 
except  the  traffic  in  cocoanut  oil.  It  is  important  that  the  people 
should  have  their  desires  awakened  for  something  else  besides  tobacco, 
in  exchange  for  oil.  This  will  be  the  result  as  the  influence  of  the 
mission  extends.  Already  the  happy  change  has  commenced  at  those 
centres  where  the  missionary's  influence  is  most  felt.  Let  the  tide 
once  commence  setting  in  an  opposite  direction,  and  the  most  happy 
results  will  speedily  follow.  We  are  not  sure  but  it  would  work  bene- 
ficially if  some  of  the  people  could  be  induced  to  emigrate  to  other 
islands  of  the  Pacific  ;  the  reflex  influence  would  be  good  upon  those 
who  remain  at  home.  Guano  laborers  might  be  obtained,  we  think, 
with  but  little  difficulty.  There  are  islands  destitute  of  inhabitants 
where  the  cocoanut  oil  trade  is  yet  to  be  commenced ;  the  Gilbert 
islanders  are  just  the  men  to  be  employed  as  laborers,  in  the  same  man- 


19 

ner  Messrs.  English  &  Co.  employ  the  natives  of  the  South  Seas,  at 
Fanning's  Island. 

It  is  no  uncommon  event  for  newly  arrived  Europeans  and  Ameri- 
cans at  Honolulu,  to  lament  the  low  standard  of  civilization  on  the 
Hawaiian  Islands,  and  prematurely  pronounce  the  missionary  enter- 
prise a  failure.  We  only  wish  such  carpers,  growlers  and  narrow- 
minded  observers  could  come  among  us,  via  the  Gilbert  Islands.  On 
those  islands  is  to  be  witnessed  pure  heathenism,  unameliorated  and 
unsoftened  by  Christianity.  Compared  with  the  Gilbert  Islanders,  Ha- 
waiians  are  highly  favored,  and  elevated  in  their  civil  and  social  condi- 
tion. On  returning  to  the  dominions  of  Kamehameha  IVth,  we  feel 
that  we  have  once  more  taken  up  our  abode  in  a  well  ordered  and 
settled  civil,  social,  intelligent  and  religious  community.  If  any  of 
our  island  readers  are  dissatisfied  with  their  homes  and  blessings,  we 
advise  them  to  visit  the  Gilbert  Islanders.  Having  made  such  a  visit,, 
we  are  confident  every  one  will  say,  in  the  language  of  the  Psalmist, 
"The  lines  have  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places ;  yea,  I  have  a  goodly 
heritage."  Another  feeling  too,  we  should  hope  would  arise  in  their 
minds,  akin  to  that  which  led  Messrs.  Bingham,  Mahoe.  Kanoa  and 
Haina,  with  their  wives,  to  take  Up  their  abode  among  that  people  and 
spend  their  lives  in  teaching  the  ignorant,  elevating  the  degraded,  heal- 
ing the  sick,  clothing  the  naked,  preaching  to  all,  and  guiding  inquiring 
souls  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  "  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world." 

XII. 

FIRST  GLIMPSE  OF  THE  MARSHALL   ISLANDERS. 

"  Strange  scenes,  strange  men." 

A  passage  of  two  days  from  Apaiang,  brought  the  Morning  Star  to 
Ebon,  Boston  or  CovelPs  Island.  This  is  the  most  southerly  of  the 
Ralick  chain.  Before  our  vessel  came  to  anchor,  scores  of  the  island- 
ers were  swarming  our  deck.  At  a  glance  we  saw  that  a  new  people 
dwelt  upon  this  group;  lively,  active,  talkative,  prying,  shrewd  and 
ready  to  take  advantage,  unless  we  were  upon  the  look-out.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Doane  came  off  in  a  large  boat  paddled  by  the  principal  chiefs  of 
the  island.  We  received  such  a  welcome  as  none  but  the  lonely 
missionary  can  give  to  one  who  pays  him  an  unexpected  visit.  Having 
heard  the  island  news  and  reported  the  general  items  of  news  respect- 
ing the  outside  world,  we  left  the  vessel  for  a  few  days'  residence  on 
shore.  Here  we  spent  from  Wednesday  evening  until  the  following 
Monday.  During  that  period  our  ears  were  occupied  in  listening  to 
narratives  of  interest  respecting  the  people,  our  eyes  were  glancing 
about  at  the  "  strange  scenes,  strange  men,"  passing  before  us,  and  our 
feet  were  wearied  in  rambling  over  the  island  and  reefs.  We  felt,  at 
first,  rather  bewildered,  for  the  contrast  was  great  between  the  dull, 
stolid,  and  indolent  Polynesians  inhabiting  the  Gilbert  Islands,  and. 
the  Yankee,  driving  and  go-a-head  people  of  Ebon.  Having  adjusted 
our  mental  reckoning,  we  began  to  digest  and  arrange  the  facts  we  had 
gathered,  and  jot  down  the  impressions  which  had  been  made  upon  our 


20 

mind.  The  mission  upon  Ebon  has  been  most  interesting  from  its 
commencement.  The  very  establishment  of  the  mission  is  connected 
with  a  series  of  most  providential  and  unlocked  for  incidents. 

XIII. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  MISSION  TO  MARSHALL   ISLANDS. 

When  the  Rev.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Pierson  arrived  in  Honolulu,  in  1855, 
they  made  known  their  wish  to  obtain  a  passage  to  Ualan  or  Strong's 
Island,  one  of  the  Caroline  Group.  The  following  statement  made  by 
Dr.  Pierson,  we  copy  from  the  Missionary  Herald  of  September,  1855. 

"In  conversation  with  a  man  a  few  days  since,!  happened  to  ask  him 
if  he  knew  of  any  opportunity  by  which  we  could  reach  Strong's  Isl- 
and during  the  summer.  He  replied  that  there  was  a  vessel  in  port, 
engaged  in  sperm-whaling  and  procuring  cocoanut  oil ;  and  as  the 
Kingsmill  Group  is  the  region  for  the  oil,  possibly  he  would  cruise  be- 
yond for  whales,  and  so  touch  at  Strong's  Island.  Upon  this  suggestion, 
I  went  to  see  the  captain,  and  asked  him  where  he  intended  to  cruise. 
He  replied,  «  Among  the  Kingsmill  Islands.'  I  inquired  if  he  would 
visit  the  Caroline  Islands.  He  said,  «  No.'  I  told  him  that  I  wished 
to  find  a  vessel  that  would  go  to  Strong's  Island.  He  said  that  he  was 
not  going  into  that  region.  He  said  that  the  best  he  could  do  would  be 
to  take  me  to  the  Kingsmill  Islands  and  leave  me  there ;  and  probably 
in  a  few  months  I  should  find  a  passage  to  Strong's  Island. 

"  He  then  turned  and  looked  at  me  very  closely,  and  asked,  *  In  what 
capacity  do  you  go  ?'  I  replied,  « As  a  missionary.'  He  looked  at 
me  very  seriously  for  a  minute  or  more,  without  saying  a  word ;  after 
which  he  said,  '  I  have  a  mind  to  take  you  to  Strong's  Island ;  for  I 
love  the  missionary  work.  I  want  missionaries  to  be  placed  on  every 
island  in  the  ocean  ;  and  I  am  willing  to  do  what  I  can  for  the  cause. 
Whalers  have  been  a  curse  to  these  islands  long  enough ;  and  I  am 
determined  to  do  what  I  can  for  their  good,  so  as  to  have  righteousness 
and  justice  established  upon  them.'  After  talking  with  him  some 
time,  he  said  if  we  were  disposed  to  take  a  passage  with  him,  and 
cruise  along  through  the  Kingsmill  and  Radick  groups,  stopping  at  some 
ten  or  twelve  or  more  of  these  islands,  he  would  take  us  to  Strong's 
Island ;  but  it  would  be  three  or  four  months  before  we  should  arrive  at 
the  end  of  our  journey. 

"  Captain  Handy  has  been  visiting  these  islands  regularly  for  about 
seventeen  years  for  cocoanut  oil,  has  become  well  acquainted  with 
many  of  the  natives,  and  understands  the  languages  to  a  certain  extent. 
Indeed,  he  had  lived  upon  one  of  the  islands  for  several  months.  He 
is  very  desirous  to  have  missionaries  settle  upon  both  these  groups  of 
islands,  especially  upon  the  Radack  and  Ralick  Chains.  There  are  no 
foreigners  residing  upon  them ;  and  we  might  preoccupy  the  ground, 
and  so  avoid  many  difficulties  that  come  from  wicked  foreigners  who 
have  gained  influence  before  the  arrival  of  missionaries.  These  chains 
of  islands  are  both  under  one  king,  and  all  speak  one  language.  The 
Radick  and  Rahck  Chains  compose  Marshall's  Group  of  islands.  They 


lie  near  together,  and  contain  at  least  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants.  He 
says  this  in  one  of  most  interesting  places  in  the  world  for  a  mission." 

After  conferring  with  the  Directors  of  the  Hawaiian  Missionary  So- 
ciety, Mr.  Pierson  was  advised  to  engage  a  passage  with  Captain  Han- 
dy. Continuing  his  narrative,  he  writes  as  follows  : 

"  Mr.  Damon  and  myself  called  upon  the  captain  immediately,  but  he 
said  that  he  could  not  do  anything  without  first  consulting  his  officers. 
He  took  us  on  board,  and  summoned  the  mates  and  steward  to  the  cabin, 
and  told  them  that  there  was  '  a  great  talk  on  shore,  and  some  people 
wanted  to  put  missionaries  on  board  for  the  islands.'  The  first  mate 
said,  '  I  for  one  am  glad  of  it.  We  need  a  missionary  among  us  ;  and 
I  am  willing  to  take  them.'  Another  said,  '  Whalers  have  done  so 
much  evil  to  the  people  on  these  islands,  that  I  will  do  anything  I  can 
for  their  good.  I  like  the  plan  ;  and  I  want  the  missionaries  to  go  with 
us.'  The  other  said  that  he  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  proposi- 
tion. And  the  steward  said  that  nothing  should  be  wanting  on  his  part 
to  make  us  comfortable.  Arrangements  were  then  made  for  our  pass- 
age. The  captain  said  that  he  would  give  me  his  state-room ;  and  the 
first  mate  said  that  he  would  give  his  to  the  native  helper,  who  is  to 
go  with  us. 

"  The  missionary  brethren  were  so  much  interested  in  Captain  Han- 
dy'* views,  in  regard  to  a  mission  on  Kingsmill  and  Radack's  Islands, 
thut  they  invited  him  to  meet  them,  and  give  them  more  definite  infor- 
mation. To  this  he  cheerfully  assented,  and  brought  his  chart  along, 
and  gave  them  a  very  full  description  of  that  part  of  the  seas,  the 
state  of  society,  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people  on  the  different 
islands.  All  were  very  much  interested  in  his  account,  and  felt  con- 
vinced that  the  time  had  come  when  these  islands  ought  to  be  occupied 
by  missionaries.  We  are  filled  with  joy  that  our  blessed  Lord  and 
Saviour  has  provided  such  a  favorable  opportunity  for  us  to  explore  lands 
that  have  never  hitherto  been  visited  by  a  missionary." 

XIV, 

REV.  DR.  PIERSON  AND  CAPT. HANDY,  PEACEMAKERS. 

The  cruise  of  the  bark  Belle,  forms  an  important  era  in  the  bloody 
history  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Marshall  Islands.  The  Belle  sailed 
from  Honolulu,  May  24th,  1855,  having  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Pierson  on  board 
as  passengers.  Nearly  a  year  elapsed  before  any  intelligence  was  re- 
ceived respecting  the  vessel.  A  brief  sketch  of  Dr.  Pierson's  explora- 
tions, will  be  found  in  the  Friend  of  June  12,  1856.  From  that  sketch 
we  copy  as  follows  :  "  After  leaving  the  Kingsmill  Islands,  the  Belle 
cruised  among  the  Mulgrave  Islands.  The  islands  have  been  explored 
but  little,  upon  some  of  them  probably  no  white  man  ever  landed. 
Capt.  Handy  made  arrangements  for  opening  a  trade  with  the  people ; 
which  afforded  our  missionary  party  an  excellent  opportunity  for  ex- 
ploration. A  royal  party,  consisting  of  Her  Royal  Highness  the  Prin- 
cess Nemaira,  her  husband,  and  five  attendants,  took  passage  on  board 
the  Belle  and  cruised  about  for  several  days.  The  natives  expressed 


a  strong  desire  to  have  missionaries  located  among  them,  and  the  King 
promised  his  protection.  Dr.  Pierson  is  hoping  ere  long  to  return 
and  commence  a  mission  there."  It  was  our  privilege  to  meet 
Nemaira,  the  Princess  mentioned  in  the  above  extract.  She  is  a  niece 
of  Kaibuke,  who  is  of  so  much  importance  among  the  Marshall 
Islanders,  and  whose  character  we  have  elsewhere  sketched. 

During  that  cruise,  Capt.  Handy,  who  had  obtained  a  tolerable  ac- 
quaintance with  the  Ebon  language,  exerted  his  influence,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  that  of  Dr.  Pierson,  to  persuade  the  chiefs  to  desist  from 
their  bloody  policy,  which  had  hitherto  governed  them  in  their  inter- 
course with  foreigners.  The  chiefs  promised  Dr.  Pierson  and  Capt. 
Handy,  that  they  would  not  cut  off  any  more  ships,  or  put  any  more 
foreigners  to  death  who  might  chance  to  be  cast  upon  their  shores.  We 
are  most  happy  to  report,  that  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  ascertain 
the  facts,  the  chiefs  have  scrupulously  kept  their  word.  This  fact 
should  surely  be  set  down  to  their  credit,  and  serve  to  soften  our  judg- 
ment in  regard  to  this  people.  In  justification  of  their  bloody  policy 
and  excuse  of  this  treatment,  the  chiefs  set  up  the  plea  of  the  ill- 
treatment  which  they  had  received  from  foreigners.  Dr.  Pierson,  in 
his  report  of  the  cruise  of  the  Belle,  remarks  as  follows : 

"  There  are  no  whites  on  these  islands  at  present,  and  no  white  man 
has  ever  lived  on  any  of  them  for  any  length  of  time.  The  natives 
have  generally  shown  a  hostile  spirit  to  foreigners.  Several  vessels 
have  been  cut  off,  and  a  great  number  of  foreigners  killed  at  different 
times.  The  reason  given  for  this  conduct  is,  that  when  the  king 
(Kaibuke)  was  a  young  man,  a  (whale)  ship  visited  Ebon,  and  a  native 
stole  something,  which  gave  occasion  for  disturbance.  A  general  at- 
tack was  made  by  natives  and  many  were  killed, — among  them  Kai- 
buke's,  oldest  brother,  and  he  (Kaibuke)  received  a  wound  in  the  arm 
from  a  spade,  which  we  saw.  He  declared  that  he  would  have  revenge, 
— that  he  would  kill  all  the  whites  he  could,  and  cut  off  a  vessel  if 
possible.  His  order  to  this  effect  has  never  been  revoked  until  recently." 
See  Missionary  Herald,  for  March,  1858. 

While  we  rejoice  that  the  chiefs  should  have  chosen  to  pursue  a 
different  policy,  and  follow  wiser  counsels,  who  can  withhold  his  admira- 
tion of  the  mild  and  peaceful  mission  of  Dr.  Pierson  and  Capt.  Handy? 
Would  that  all  shipmasters,  and  especially  all  masters  of  whale  ships, 
had  pursued  a  similar  policy  to  that  of  Capt.  Handy,  towards  both  the 
natives  and  missionaries.  Now  that  Capt.  H.  has  probably  retired 
from  the  toils,  perils  and  anxieties  of  a  sea-faring  life,  it  must  be  to 
him  a  source  of  unspeakable  satisfaction,  that  during  his  last  voyage 
among  the  savages  of  the  the  Marshall  Islands,  he  initiated  a  policy  of 
good  will  and  kindness  towards  foreigners  in  the  place  of  their  for- 
mer cold-blooded  and  murderous  practices;  and  to  Dr.  Pierson,  who 
was  compelled  by  the  sickness  of  wife,  to  retire  from  his  field  of  labor 
among  this  people,  it  must  be  a  source  of  the  purest  joy,  that  his  labors 
as  the  pioneer  missionary,  were  not  in  vain,  but  that  now  a  plentiful 
harvest  is  being  gathered  trom  the  gospel  seed  which  was-  sown  by  his 
hands. 


23 

In  referring  to  the  efforts  of  Dr.  Pierson  and  Capt.  Handy,  it  would 
be  unbecoming,  as  well  as  unjust,  not  to  acknowledge  the  influence  and 
mild  persuasion  of  Mrs.  Pierson.  Her  influence  with  Nemaira,  the  sis- 
ter of  Kaibuke,  was  very  great.  She  formed  an  attachment  for  Mrs. 
Pierson,  which  still  remains,  and  no  opportunity  is  lost  to  make  inqui- 
ries for  this  missionary  lady  and  first  white  female  who  ventured  to 
risk  her  life  among  the  savages  of  the  Marshall  Islands.  Her  mission 
was  a  noble  one,  and  although  ill-health  [compelled  her  early  to  retire 
from  active  missionary  labors  among  that  people,  she  may  in  her  home 
among  the  people  of  California,  cherish  the  gratifying  reflection,  that 
having  done  what  she  could  and  all  she  could,  her  influence  is  still 
felt  in  curbing  the  violent  passions,  and  checking  the  savage  ferocity 
of  men  who  had  previously  imbrued  their  hands  in  the  blood  of  many 
who  had  been  unfortunately  cast  upon  their  shores.  "  Blessed  are  the 
peacemakers." 

XV. 

FORMER    INTERCOURSE    OF    FOREIGNERS     WITH    THE 
MARSHALL    ISLANDERS. 

Some  facts  have  already  been  published,  and  others  are  now  being 
discovered,  which  show  that  the  Marshall  Islanders  have  imbrued  their 
hands  in  the  blood  of  many  strangers  and  seamen,  who  have  visited 
their  islands.  We  hope  that  a  new  era  has  dawned  upon  those  be- 
nighted islanders.  If  the  mission  established  upon  Ebon  has  done 
no  other  good,  we  trust  that  it  has  effectually  stayed  the  effusion  of 
blood  and  the  cruel  murder  of  any  unfortunate  mariners  who  might 
be  driven  by  stress  of  weather,  or  other  causes,  to  seek  safety  among 
the  people  of  the  Marshall  Islands. 

The  following  list  of  murders  and  massacres,  will  suffice  to  show 
that  the  time  has  come  when  an  end  should  be  put  to  such  bloody 
transactions. 

In  1834,  Capt.  Dowsett,  mysteriously  disappeared  at  the  Piscadores, 
one  of  the  most  northerly  islands  of  Ralick  Chain.  We  still  hope 
as  the  missionaries  extend'their  work  northward,  that  they  will  be  able 
to  ascertain  something  more  definite  in  regard  to  his  fate.  We  ex- 
press this  opinion,  because  the  islanders  have  hitherto  been  very  cau- 
tious about  speaking  of  formei  transactions  with  foreigners.  As  one 
and  another  joins  the  mission  party,  facts  are  being  revealed  in  regard 
to  the  past  history  of  foreign  intercourse. 

In  1845,  Capt.  Cheyne,  of  the  Naid,  had  trouble  with  the 
dwellers  upon  Ebon,  and  one  man  was  killed  upon  the  spot,  besides 
the  nephew  of  the  highest  chief  of  the  Ralick  Chain  was  wounded  and 
died  soon  after  landing. 

Dr.  Gulick,  in  his  lectures,  refers  to  a  whale  ship  that  was  nearly 
cut  off,  at  Namarik,  (Baring's  Island)  about  the  same  time,  (1845), 
and  also  two  whale  boat's  crews  came  ashore  and  the  crews  were  all 
killed  at  Ebon. 

During  our  visit  to  Ebon,  we  also  heard  the  story  of  a  boat's  crew 


24 

which  landed  upon  Ebon,  some  years  since,  who  had  plenty  of  money. 
A  servant  woman  in  the  employ  of  Mrs.  Doane,  tells  this  story  :  When 
she  was  a  little  girl,  a  boat  came  to  Ebon  with  six  men  in  it.  They 
had  plenty  of  food  in  the  boat  but  came  for  water.  Three  of  the  men 
had  on  white  shirts,  and  were  large,  good  looking  men,  not  sailors. 
They  had  money  in  a  Hingham  box  or  bucket.  They  had  small 
knives  in  their  pockets.  They  were  all  killed  by  the  natives.  Their 
boat  was  destroyed.  Their  clothes  were  put  out  of  the  way.  She 
saw  them  lying  together  on  the  ground  after  they  were  killed.  Their 
bodies  were  subsequently  put  out  of  the  way.  The  natives  threw  gold 
pieces  about,  and  of  some  they  made  fish  hooks.  From  the  age  of  this 
woman  and  the  particulars  which  she  has  stated,  we  are  led  to  suppose 
this  boat  may  have  belonged  to  the  ill-fated  brig  William  Neilson, 
Capt.  Weston,  who  was  accompanied  by  Capt.  Dominis  and  Commis- 
sioner Brown  as  passengers.  It  is  by  no  means  unreasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  the  brig  may  have  struck  upon  some  one  of  the  innumerable 
reefs  of  this  part  of  the  Pacific. 

From  the  Friend  of  May  15,  1847,  we  copy  the  following  para- 
graphs : 

"  THE  MISSING  BRIG  WM.  NEILSON. — This  vessel  left  the  port  of  Hon- 
olulu, August  5,  1846,  for  China,  expecting  to  return  as  early  as 
Christmas.  Fears  have  been  for  months  entertained  respecting  her  fate, 
but  conjecture  has  inspired  the  hope  that  she  was  not  lost;  perhaps,  she 
might  be  sold  or  otherwise  detained.  The  '  Mary/  which  left  China, 
March  2d,  reports  that  up  to  that  date  no  intelligeace  had  been  re- 
ceived respecting  her.  We  can  with  difficulty  bring  our  mind  to  the 
conclusion  that  all  on  board  have  perished  and  not  one  survives  to 
report  the  story  of  her  disaster.  There  is  the  possibility,  that  like 
the  brig  '  Express,'  the  « Wm.  Neilson  '  may  have  been  wrecked  on 
that  some  of  the  numerous  islands  in  that  part  of  the  broad  Pacific. 
It  is  reported  however,  that  a  succession  of  terrible  gales  and  typhoons 
was  experienced  in  that  region  of  the  ocean  during  the  months  of  Sep- 
tember, October  and  November.  Ex.  U.  S.  Commissioner,  Brown, 
and  Capt.  Dominis,  passengers,  and  Capt.  Weston  commanding  the 
brig,  are  removed  from  their  families,  which  will  not  soon  cease  to 
mourn  the  absent  husband  and  father,  while  a  wide  circle  of  friends 
and  relations  will  deeply  sympathize  with  the  bereaved.  No  person  in 
our  community  was  more  generally  esteemed  for  his  many  excellen- 
cies as  a  neighbor,  friend  and  citizen,  than  Capt.  Dominis,  and  his 
family  have  met  with  an  irreparable  loss. 

"During  Mr.  Brown's  long  residence  at  the  islands,  he  gained  many 
friends,  and  his  private  character,  we  believe,  to  have  been  above  re- 
proach. There  are  many  in  this  quarter  of  the  world  who  will  sym- 
pathize with  his  deeply  afflicted  family.  There  are  many  here,  who 
will  also  sympathize  with  the  family  of  Capt.  Weston.  On  a  former 
voyage  Mrs.  Weston  accompanied  her  husband  to  our  shores,  when  he 
commanded  the  ship  Congaree.  In  addition  to  the  above  mentioned  in- 
dividuals, ^it  becomes  our  duty  to  record  the  names  of  others  belonging 
to  the  ship's  company,  viz:  Mr.  George  Brown,  Junior,  passenger  ;  Mr. 
Charles  Green,  a  passenger,  belonging  to  Barnstable,  Mass.  He  came 


25 

to  the  islands  as  Capt.  Dominis'  1st  officer,  on  board  the  schooner 
Swallow.  One  Chinaman  and  five  Lascar  sailors  were  also  passen- 
gers. 

u  Belonging  to  the  crew  of  the  brig,  were  the  following  :  1st  officer. 
Mr.  Harnmet,  Martha's  Vinyard ;  2d  officer,  Mr.  Benson,  Baltimore, 
Md.  Seamen,  Seth  P.  Peterson  and  Amherst  Peterson,  brothers,  be- 
longing to  Marshfield,  Massachusetts.  David  Mann  and  Walter  Tybu, 
both  belonging  to  Hanover,  Mass.  The  names  of  cook  and  steward, 
we  are  unable  to  learn.  Two  seamen,  John  Pitts  and  J.  Gilbert,  were 
discharged  sick  at  this  port,  just  before  the  sailing  of  the  vessel. 

"  The  vessel,  we  are  informed,  was  insured,  as  well  as  the  whole,  or 
a  part  of  the  cargo,  $22,000  in  specie." 

In  October,  1852,  the  schooner  Glencoe  of  San  Francisco,  was 
burnt  and  crew  murdered  by  the  inabitants  of  Ebon.  In  this  affair  the 
chiefs  took  no  part,  for  they  were  absent  from  the  island.  The  Gle?i- 
C9€  anchored  near  the  anchorage  ground  where  the  Morning  Star 
lay  in  safety  during  our  visit,  and  where  we  enjoyed  the  most  friendly 
intercourse  with  the  people. 

A  short  time  after  the  bloody  affair  of  the  Glencoe,  it  is  reported 
that  a  brig  touched  at  Ebon,  and  active  preparations  were  made  by  the 
chiefs  and  people  to  take  the  vessel  and  murder  all  hands.  Just  as  the 
vessel  was  about  to  drop  her  anchor,  the  wind  veered  and  the  master  of 
the  brig  concluded  it  unsafe  to  anchor.  Thus  the  vessel  escaped,  in  a 
manner  most  providential.  The  vessel  would  have  anchored  where 
the  Morning  Star  lay,  while  we  remained  at  Ebon. 

In  December,  1852,  (two  months  after  the  sad  affair  of  the  Glencoe,) 
the  Sea  Nymph,  of  San  Francisco,  Capt.  McKensie,  was  cut  off  at 
Jaluit  or  Bonham's  Island.  The  only  survivor  of  Capt.  McKensie's 
crew,  was  brought  to  Honolulu  about  three  years  ago.  The  hull  of  the 
vessel  is  now  to  be  seen  in  the  spot  where  she  was  burnt  and  sunk  by 
the  natives.  Dr.  Gulick  reports  the  Sea  Nymph  as  belonging  to  San 
Francisco,  but  unless  we  are  much  mistaken,  she  was  under  the  British 
flag. 

During  our  visit  to  Ebon,  we  also  heard  of  a  large  ship  which  went 
on  shore  at  Bikini,  one  of  the  most  northern  islands  of  the  Kalick 
Chain.  Report  says  that  the  ship's  company  embarked  in  their  boats, 
but  left  plenty  of  articles  on  the  ship,  and  among  other  things  left  be- 
hind, was  a  black  New  Foundland  dog,  which  the  natives  rescued,  and 
which  is  now  reported  to  be  among  the  islanders.  We  could  not  ascer- 
tain the  name  of  the  ship,  or  the  year  when  the  wreck  occurred.  We 
hope  yet  to  learn  additional  particulars  in  regard  to  this  wreck. 

It  seems  somewhat  remarkable  that  the  foregoing  facts  have  not  at- 
tracted the  attention    of  either  the    British    or   American    naval   com- 
manding officers  upon  the    Pacific   Station.     From    facts   which  came 
under  our  notice  while  at   Ebon,   we  are  confident  that  the  chiefs  are 
fearful  that  even  yet  they  may  be  called  to  account  for  some  one  of  the 
many  bloody  deeds  which  have   been   perpetrated  within   their  domin- 
ions.    The   retributive  punishment,  which  a  man.of-war  might  inflict 
conveys  a  terror  to  their  minds.     A  man-of-war  they  have  never  seen, 
but  the  name   is  familiar  to  their  ears.     It  may   seem  strange,  but  it 
4 


26 

is  nevertheless  true,  there  are  many  islands,  even  groups  of  islands,  in 
the  Pacific,  as  yet  unvisited  by  either  an  English  or  American  vessel 
of  war.  We  do  not  plead  for  the  visit  of  vessels-of-war  to  the 
Marshall  Islands,  for  the  protection  of  the  missionaries,  or  because  we 
have  lost  our  faith  in  missions,  but  for  the  protection  of  commerce 
and  the  lives  of  wrecked  mariners.  We  believe  the  time  has  come 
when  it  would  be  feasible  to  form  a  treaty  with  those  people.  The 
chiefs,  through  the  interpretation  of  the  missionaries,  could  be  made 
to  understand  the  nature  of  treaty-stipulations.  Should  a  vessel  of 
*var  visit  those  islanders,  they  could  be  made  to  understand  that, 
should  further  massacres  and  murders  occur,  they  would  be  held  re- 
sponsible. We  can  readily  see  that  such  a  visit  might  be  productive 
of  incalculable  good.  A  judicious  commander  ought  however  to  be 
selected  for  the  purpose,  otherwise  more  evil  than  good  would  be  the 
the  result. 

We  are  not  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  an  American  vessel  of  war,  the 
schooner  Dolphin,  Lieut.  Percival,  once  visited  Mili,  or  Mulgrave  Island, 
which  is  the  most  southern  of  the  Radack  Chain.  The  occasion  of 
that  visit  (1825)  was  for  the  purpose  of  rescuing  a  portion  of  the  crew 
of  the  American  whaleship  Globe,  on  board  of  which  a  mutiny  had 
occurred.  The  Morning  Star  has  visited  that  island,  and  the  spot  was 
pointed  out  where  the  Globe  anchored.  The  mutineers  were  killed  by 
the  natives  in  consequence  of  their  cruel  treatment  of  the  females. 
The  Dolphin  was  upon  her  return  passage  from  the  Mulgraves,  when 
she  touched  at  Honolulu,  and  those  disgraceful  scenes  occurred,  which 
gave  Lieut.  Percival  an  unenviable  notoriety,  and  prevented  him  from 
obtaining  the  command  of  another  vessel  for  nearly  twenty  years.  He 
still  lives,  and  in  his  old  age  doubtless  regrets  the  mad  freaks  of  his 
youth. 

We  should  seriously  deprecate  the  consequences  if  a  vessel  of  war 
should  be  sent  to  call  the  islanders  to  account  for  the  past,  for  we  are 
not  sure  but  in  most  instances,  there  may  have  been  injury  and  insult 
inflicted  upon  the  islanders,  before  they  were  led  to  lift  the  murderous 
knife.  Let  "  by-gones  be  by-gones,"  but  for  the  future  let  there  be  a 
fair  and  full  understanding  that  if  new  murders  are  committed,  the 
perpetrators  will  be  held  to  a  strict  account.  Such  a  policy  would  ex- 
ert a  most  beneficial  and  salutary  influence.  The  chiefs  are  now 
haughty  and  overbearing,  and  voyaging  about  in  their  big  war  ca- 
noes or  proas,  imagine  that  they  are  above  law,  and  hence  are  lawless. 
The  missionary  may  teach  the  people  the  gospel  and  thereby  accom- 
plish incalculable  good,  but  he  cannot  do  every  thing.  The  following 
facts  however,  will  show  that  he  can  work  with  spiritual  weapons 
when  threatened  with  carnal.  On  a  certain  occasion,  a  haughty  and' 
overbearing  chief,  told  the  missionary  that  it  was  "  Ebon  fashion,' 
when  foreigners  conducted  in  a  manner  not  to  please  the  chiefs,  that 
they  put  them  out  of  the  way,  or  in  other  words,  acted  upon  the  prin- 
ciple, that  "  dead  men  could  tell  no  tales."  This  was  Ebon  fashion. 
INow  the  missionary  wished  to  show  this  proud  and  lawless  chief,  what 
was  the  Christian  fashion  of  treating  one's  enemies  ;  so  he  conducted 
the  chief  into  his  study,  and  knelt  down  and:  prayed  for  him  and  his 


27 

people.  For  writes  the  apostle  Paul,  "  the  weapons  of  our  warfare, 
are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  stony 
holds."  We  have  more  faith  in  the  prayers  and  teachings  of  the  mis- 
sionary ,to  christianize  and  civilize  the  rude  and  savage  Marshall  Island- 
ers, than  in  commerce  or  warships.  Let  the  missionary  and  school 
teacher  go  among  them  with  a  translation  of  Webster's  spelling  book, 
and  the  New  Testament,  and  the  most  happy  results  may  be  looked 
for ;  children  taught  to  sing 

"  There  is  a  happy  land." 
we  do  not  believe  will  grow  up  to  become  murderers  and  pirates. 

XVI. 

KAIBUKE. 

This  is  the  name  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  personages  we  met 
at  Ebon.  He  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  the  King,  but  that  is  however 
far  from  being  true.  He  is  not  even  so  high  a  chief  as  some  others,  or 
even  his  elder  brother.  On  one  occasion  both  he  and  his  brother  visit- 
ted  Mr.  Doane,  and  we  saw  Kaibuke,  take  a  seat  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  room,  thus  paying  marked  deference  to  that  elder  brother.  He  is 
nevertheless  an  important  character  among  his  people,  and  upon  his 
word  depends  the  life  or  death  of  the  people.  We  could  not  learn,  as 
there  was  really  any  person  who  could  be  officially  denominated  as  His 
Majesty,  or  His  Imperial  Majesty,  or  the  President.  The  government 
of  the  islands  is  in  the  hands  of  a  body  of  haughty,  imperious  and  un- 
scrupulous chiefs,  whose  caprices  and  whims  are  the  laws  of  their  do- 
minions. Among  these  chiefs,  Kaibuke  has  gained  an  ascendancy  and 
influence,  in  consequence  of  his  energy,  tact,  impudence  and  adroit- 
ness. He  is  a  complete  politician,  placed  in  a  position  to  carry  his 
measures  by  force,  if  they  cannot  be  promoted  by  mildness.  He  is  ex- 
ceedingly jealous  of  the  teaching  of  the  missionaries,  yet  has  always 
maintained  a  friendly  intercourse  with  them.  This  must  be  said  to  his 
credit,  that  he  has  always  kept  his  word  that  he  originally  made  to  Dr. 
Pierson,  that  he  would  protect  the  mission.  He  took  Dr.  Pierson  for 
"his  son,"  and  Mr.  Doane,  "his  friend,"  which  is  an  expressive  method 
of  speaking  in  the  language  of  Ebon.  It  is  also  in  his  favor,  that  when 
the  Morning  Star  first  entered  the  lagoon  of  Ebon,  in  1857,  he,  aided  by 
another  high  chief,  prevented  her  being  run  ashore  and  pillaged,  as  no 
doubt  some  of  the  chiefs  and  many  of  the  natives  intended  should  have 
been  her  fate. 

Kaibuke  occupies  the  position  of  Prime  Minister  or  Secretary  of 
State,  although  such  terms  are  foreign  to  the  Ebon  dialect.  He  was  at 
church  the  Sabbath  morning  we  spent  at  Ebon.  The  question  was 
asked  him  in  the  presence  of  the  audience  if  he  would  protect  addi- 
tional missionaries,  if  they  were  sent  to  Ebon.  He  gave  us  his  word 
that  he  would. 

We  could  relate  many  stories  which  were  told  respecting  his  du- 
plicity, cruelty  and  lack  of  trust  worthiness,  but  we  prefer  to  allow  our 
readers  to  remain  in  ignorance  of  the  dark  side  of  his  character.  Kai- 


28 

buke  is  no  doubt  more  or  less  implicated  in  some  of  those  deeds  oi 
blood  which  have  been  perpetrated  upon  the  Marshall  Islands.  We 
hope  however  better  things  for  him  in  time  to  come.  Those  who  have 
gone  thither  as  teachers  have  not  failed  to  point  out  to  him  the  better 
way,  or  that  the  eye  of  Jehovah  is  continually  upenhim,  and  that  he  will 
be  held  responsible  by  the  King  of  kings. 

Kaibuke,  takes  his  name  from  that  of  a  ship,  in  the  language  of  New 
Zealand.  Several  years  ago  a  ship  from  the  "  south  seas "  visited  the 
islands.  The  ship  was  called  Kaibuke,  so  he  took  that  name.  Another 
chief  took  the  name  of  Capt.  Terry,  from  the  name  of  the  commander 
of  the  vessel. 

We  visited  Kaibuke's  residence,  and  found  him  surrounded  by  his 
wives,  (of  whom  he  has  four,)  and  his  eleven  children,  most  of  whom 
could  not  be  said  to  be  encumbered  with  a  superabundance  of  clothing. 
He  is  a  man  apparently  about  fifty-five  years  of  age,  with  a  coun- 
tenance indicative  of  energy  and  good  nature,  although  not  of  noble- 
ness and  magnanimity.  We  account  him  however  a  remarkable  man, 
and  if  not  too  old  to  learn,  we  hope  to  hear  better  reports  of  him  here- 
after. 

The  following  incidents  may  serve  to  illustrate  the  character  of  this 
Ebonite  politician  and  Prime  Minister.  On  our  first  interview,  a 
surprising  intimacy  and  familiarity  was  manifest  on  his  part.  Mr. 
Doane  introduced  us  as  "  the  missionary  at  Oahu,  to  foreigners  and 
seamen."  Kaibuke  replied,  "Mikinari  Oahu,  Mikinari  very  good." 
His  eye  caught  our  black  coat.  He  took  hold  of  the  sleeve  saying, 
11  Me  like  very  good."  Remembering  the  precept  that  "  He  that  hath 
two  coats,  let  him  impart  to  him  that  hath  none"  we  gave  to  it  a 
literal  interpretation.  Various  were  the  interviews  which  \ve 
had  with  this  Ebon  official.  Sometimes  we  conversed  upon  mat- 
ters grave  and  solemn,  and  at  others  we  carried  on  trade  in  a  small 
way,  i.  e.  exchanging  fish  hooks  and  jack  knives  for  the  curiosities  of 
the  country.  At  the  interview  alluded  to  above,  when  we  called  at  his 
residence,  it  so  happened  that  after  a  long  walk,  we  were  exceedingly 
thirsty,  hence  we  asked  for  a  little  water.  He  said,  "  will  you  not 
have  a  cocoanut."  We  assented,  of  course.  One  of  his  attendants 
was  immediately  sent  off  and  up  one  of  those  gracefully  waving  trees 
adorning  the  coral  islands  of  Micronesia.  Soon  the  cocoanuts  were 
brought,  one  for  each  of  us  present.  We  passed  ours  to  His  Excellency, 
but  he  declined.  When  we  all  had  quenched  our  thirst,  Kaibuke  very 
politely  intimated  that  a  fish-hook  apiece  would  be  acceptable  for  the 
nuts.  We  (including  our  two  companions)  paid  His  Excellency, 
Kuibuke,  three  fish  hooks  for  three  cocoanuts,  and  took  our  departure. 
We  only  mention  this  fact  as  an  illustration  of  Kaibuke's  re- 
markable character !  If  hereafter,  in  the  progress  of  learning,  he 
should  ever  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  and  these 
remarks  upon  his  character  should  fall  under  his  eye,  he  may  be 
assured  that  "the  missionary  at  Oahu"  has  followed  Othello's  parting 
injunction, 

14  And  naught  set  down  in  malice." 


XVII. 

ORIGIN  OF  THE  MARSHALL  ISLANDERS. 

Much  has  been  said  and  written  about  the  origin  of  various  inhabi- 
tants scattered  over  the  islands  of  Polynesia.  Whatever  theory  may 
be  formed  respecting  Hawaiians,  Tahitians,  Samoans,  or  Kingsmill 
Islanders,  we  are  confident  but  one  opinion  can  be  true  respecting  the 
Marshall  Islanders.  They  are  unmistakably  of  Japanese  extraction. 
We  know  that  in  making  the  assertion,  we  are  at  variance  with  the 
opinions  of  some  ethnological  writers.  Whoever  saw  the  Japanese 
embassy  visiting  the  United  States  in  1860,  and  the  Marshall  Island- 
ers, would  say  that  they  were  sprung  from  the  same  original  stock. 
Their  features  and  physical  organization  are  most  strikingly  similar. 
We  could  not  discover  one  Polynesian  trait,  feature  or  habit  among 
them.  Like  the  Japanese  and  Chinese,  they  are  remarkably  indus- 
trious. They  are  constantly  at  work,  whether  upon  the  land  or  sea. 
They  have  a  saying  "  Ebon  people  never  tire."  This  trait  is  most 
strikingly  in  contrast  with  all  the  Polynesian  tribes,  so  proverbially  in- 
dolent. 

The  Japanese  Princes  are  accustomed  to  traverse  the  empire,  with 
large  retinues,  and  thousands  of  retainers;  the  Marshall  Islanders  per- 
form similar  journeys  upon  the  sea.  Every  year  the  chiefs  of  the 
Marshall  Islands  make  long  voyages,  from  island  to  island  of  the 
group.  We  were  so  fortunate  as  to  meet  the  entire  company  of 
the  chiefs  of  the  Ralick  Chain  of  islands,  at  Ebon.  They  were 
about  fitting  off  for  a  summer  cruise  to  the  north.  Their  large 
war  canoes  were  hauled  upon  the  sand  beach.  On  the  day  of  our 
arrival,  there  had  been  a  race  of  canoes  across  the  lagoon.  We 
were  informed  that  thirty  large  proas  or  war  canoes,  would  form 
the  expedition  north,  manned  by  five  hundred  followers  of  these  chiefs, 
who  voyage  in  royal  state.  These  proas  are  propelled  by  a  large 
triangular  sail,  which  is  so  hung  upon  the  mast  that  it  will  propel  the 
proa  either  way.  Their  arrangements  for  a  rudder,  is  a  paddle  fast- 
ened by  a  rope,  and  which  can  readily  be  changed  from  one  end  of  the 
proa  to  the  other.  They  never  propel  these  proas  by  paddles,  but  trust  al- 
together to  the  winds. 

In  subsequent  investigations,  it  will  be  interesting  to  ascertain  if  there 
are  not  strong  affinities  between  the  Japanese  and  Ebon  languages. 
We  are  not  prepared  to  hazard  even  an  opinion  upon  this  subject,  but 
still  the  thought  has  arisen  in  our  mind,  from  reading  the  .Rev.  Mr. 
Doane's  remarks  upon  "  The  Ebon  and  Ponapi  Dialects  Compared," 
published  in  the  Friend  of  Feb.  1860,  that  when  a  similar  comparison 
shall  embrace  the  Japanese  language,  that  will  be  found  to  be  the  ba- 
sis of  both  the  Ebon  and  Ponapian  dialects.  There  is  no  surer  meth- 
od of  tracing  the  migration  of  nations  and  tribes  over  the  continents, 
islands  and  oceans  of  our  globe,  than  by  ferreting  out  the  roots  and 
radicals  of  their  languages.  In  glancing  an  eye  upon  a  good  map  of 
the  Pacific,  it  will  appear  that  the  Marshall  and  Caroline  Islands  are 
separated  from  the  Japanese  Islands  by  a  breadth  of  ocean  which 


30 

might  be  passed  over  by  junks  drifting  away  from  land.  In  looking 
at  the  present  condition,  customs  and  habits  of  the  Marshall  Islanders;, 
we  see  no  great  disimilarity  between  them  and  the  Japanese,  which 
might  not  have  arisen  from  their  isolated  and  insular  position. 

In  further  confirmation  of  this  opinion  that  the  Marshall  Islanders  are  • 
an  offshoot  of  the  Japanese,  we  would  refer  to  their  religious  opinion?. 
They  do  not  worship  idols,  but  hold  their  ancestors  in  great  veneration. 
They  have  their  consecrated  groves  and  sacred  spots.  Superstitious 
or  religious  ideas  do  not  appear  to  have  had  a  very  strong  hold  upon 
their  minds.  Mr.  Doane  remarked  to  us,  that  they  were  almost  atheists. 
Who  does  not  rejoice  that  they  now  are  to  have  made  known  to  them  a 
knowledge  of  the  one  only  true  God  ? 


XVlll. 

CHEERING  PROSPECTS   OF  THE  EBON    MISSION. 

From  our  knowledge  of  the  Marshall  Islanders,  knowing  them  to 
have  been  extremely  hostile  to  foreigners,  as  much  so  as  the  Japanese, 
and  in  all  respects  so  unlike  Polynesians  generally,  we  were  not  pre- 
pared to  witness  much  encouragement  to  prosecute  the  mission.  This 
-mission  was  first  established  by  Messrs.  Doane  and  Pierson,  in  1857, 
There  have  never  been  but  two  mission-families  at  the  same  time  upon 
the  island.  Dr.  Pierson  left  on  account  of  his  wife's  sickness,  at  the 
end  of  his  second  year's  labor.  Dr.  Gulick  and  family  remained  there 
but  one  year,  and  at  present  the  Kev.  Mr.  Doane  and  Mr.  Aea,  the 
Hawaiian  Missionary,  are  occupying  the  field. 

The  gospel  has  made  a  decided  impression  upon  the  people.  Preach- 
ing is  regularly  maintained  at  the  station,  and  upon  an  islet  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  lagoon,  to  which  station  Mr.  Doane  goes  every 
Sabbath  afternoon.  Mr.  Aea  teaches  a  station  school  and  visits  two 
islets  for  teaching  schools,  once  a  week.  His  services  are  invaluable. 
He  has  now  been  upon  the  island  only  nine  months,  yet  he  speaks  the 
language  with  fluency,  and  is  daily  perfecting  himself  in  speaking  and 
writing.  He  began  to  address  the  people  when  he  had  been  there  but 
three  months.  We  visited  his  school.  When  calling  the  roll  of  eighty 
pupils,  forty-three  answered  to  their  names.  We  heard  them  read,  saw 
them  write,  and  witnessed  their  ability  in  ciphering.  Their  pro- 
gress was  really  commendable,  considering  that  not  yet  four 
years  have  elapsed  since  the  missionaries  began  to  reduce  the  lan- 
guage to  a  written  form.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  there  are  no 
reading  or  school  books  in  the  Ebon  dialect,  but  what  have  been  pre- 
pared and  even  printed  by  them,  upon  a  little  miserable  hand  press, 
that  would  not  be  worth  in  New  York  five  dollars.  Mr.  Doane  and 
Aea  work  at  type-setting  and  tjve'  press,  never  having  been  iniatiated 
into  the  mysteries  of  a  printirig  office  before  going  to  Ebon.  They 
have  printed  at  this  station  an  elementary  book  for  children  learning 
to  read,  a  few  of  the  first  chapters  of  Matthew,  and  a  small  collection  of 
hymns.  Some  of  these  were  written  by  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Pierson,  who 
are  now  in  California,  With  these  few  meagre  helps,  these  missionaries 


31 

are  rapidly  teaching  the  children  and  adults  of  Ebon  and  the  neigh- 
boring islands  to  read.  In  all  their  instruction  they  mingle  scrip- 
tural truth  in  every  variety  of  form.  It  was  exceedingly  sur- 
prising to  witness  the  readiness  with  which  the  pupils  in  the  day  and 
Sabbath  schools,  answered  the  questions  addressed  to  them.  There  was 
a  sprightliness,  activity,  aptness  and  quickness  of  perception  which 
gave  the  pleasing  evidence  that  the  youth  of  Ebon  would  not  fall  be- 
hind the  youth  of  other  and  more  favored  lands,  if  they  could  only 
enjoy  similar  advantages.  The  missionaries  have  certainly  secured  a 
hold  upon  the  rising  generation  which  promises  a  rich  harvest  in  future 
years. 

Not  only  have  the  youth  of  Ebon  afforded  gratifying  evidence  of 
becoming  good  scholars,  but  several  have  already  become,  in  the  ex- 
pressive  language  of  the  islanders,  "  lovers  of  Jesus."  Christians  are 
styled  "  lovers  of  Jesus."  We  met  some  of  these  young  people,  and 
surely  it  afforded  a  joy  which  words  cannot  express,  to  witness  their 
meek  and  gentle  demeanor,  and  hear  Mr.  Doane  speak  of  their  humble, 
and  consistent  walk.  One  of  these  may  be  said  to  have  met  a  martyr's 
death,  for  he  was  cruelly  put  to  death  by  a  company  of  revengeful 
chiefs,  urged  onward  by  hatred  and  passion,  and  the  lying  tongue  of 
a  base  woman.  We  were  assured  that  hatred  of  the  young  man's 
Christian  principles  had  no  small  influence  in  hastening  forward  his 
death.  May  the  blood  of  the  martyr  prove  the  seed  of  the  church, 
in  this,  as  it  has  in  numerous  other  instances. 

This  leads  us  to  remark  that,  while  the  truth  is  manifestly  and 
rapidly  making  progress  upon  Ebon,  among  the  common  people,  there 
are  those  who  are  decidedly  opposed  to  the  movement.  Many  of  the 
high  chiefs,  although  apparently  upon  good  terms  with  the  mission- 
aries, are  at  heart  inimical  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  These 
persons  tolerate  the  mission,  because,  indirectly,  it  brings  ships  and 
trade  to  their  islands  ;  beyond  this,  they  are  exceedingly  suspicious  of 
the  work  which  has  commenced  among  their  hitherto  secluded  islands. 
There  are  two  opposing  parties,  and  the  present  indications  are,  that 
ere  long  there  will  be  a  mighty  struggle  for  the  supremacy.  It  would 
be  no  surprising  thing  if  the  mission  should  be  violently  opposed  by  a 
powerful  body  of  the  chiefs,  who  look  with  a  jealous  eye  upon  the 
fact  that  their  subjects  are  learning  to  read  and  acquire  knowledge. 
These  chiefs  are  keen  and  shrewd  men,  and  foresee  that  with  the  in- 
crease of  knowledge  among  the  commoners,  will  arise  a  party  to  oppose 
the  old  and  cruel  practices  of  the  rulers  of  the  land.  Only  upon  a 
much  smaller  scale,  the  same  elements  are  at  work  among  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  Marshall  Islands,  which  were  at  work  among  the  Romans 
and  other  ancient  nations  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity,  when  the 
Apostles  went  forth  in  obedience  to  the  Saviour's  command,  to  make 
disciples  of  all  nations.  If  this  mission  goes  forward  as  it  has  been  thus 
auspiciously  commenced,  we  may  confidently  look  for  great  and  glo- 
rious results.  A  good  beginning  has  been  made.  A  foothold  has  been 
secured.  Gospel  seed  has  been  sown.  It  is  already  springing  up. 
"  Say  not  ye,  there  are  four  months,  and  then  cometh  harvest?  Behold, 
I  say  unto  you,  lift  up  your  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields,  for  they  are 
white  already  to  harvest." — John  iv:35. 


32 
XfX. 

AN  AMERICAN  MISSIONARY    WITH    HIS    COAT  OFF,  AND 

AN  HAWAIIAN  MISSIONARY  WITH    HIS  SLEEVES 

ROLLED  UP. 

We  witnessed  a  scene  on  one  of  the  islets  encircling  the  lagoon  of 
Ebon,  which  would  have  gratified  the  friends  of  education  and  missions. 
After  the  Sabbath  morning  services  at  the  Mission  Station,  it  was  our 
privilege  to  accompany  Messrs.  Doane  and  Aea  to  their  out-station 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  lagoon.  We  were  just  one  hour  crossing 
the  lagoon.  On  approaching  the  shore,  Mr.  Doane  skilfully  piloted 
our  boat  through  a  narrow  opening  in  the  reef,  scarcely  wide  enough  to 
allow  the  boat  to  pass.  We  entered  the  smooth  waters  within  the 
barrier  reef,  and  skimming  along  over  beds  of  coral,  of  every  shape,  va- 
riety and  color,  saw  the  fish  darting  in  and  out  from  under  the  rocky 
branching  marine  forest. 

As  we  landed,  a  group  of  bright-eyed  and  laughing  children  gave  us  a 
cordial  welcome.  We  proceeded  immediately  to  the  meeting  or  school 
house,  where  an  audience  of  over  one  hundred  soon  gathered.  The  fe- 
males were  all  modestly  attired,  their  hair  neatly  combed  and  parted, 
and  many  wore  chaplets  of  fresh  flowers.  The  house  was  filled,  even 
overflowing,  and  as  closely  packed  as  the  hold  of  a  slaver.  The  Ket. 
Mr.  Doane  conducted  the  services.  He  introduced  the  strangers, 
who  made  short  addresses.  Then  followed  the  school  exercise.  The 
whole  audience,  old  and  young,  arranged  themselves  into  groups  of 
about  eight  or  ten.  Mr.  Doane,  Aea,  and  a  few  young  men,  or  rather 
boys,  who  could  read,  sat  down  upon  the  mats  to  teach  these  ignorant 
islanders  the  rudiments  of  their  language.  Truly  the  scene  was  one 
to  be  remembered  by  those  of  us  to  whom  such  scenes  were  new. 
Mr.  Doane  took  of  his  coat,  and  Aea  rolled  up  his  sleeves.  They  en- 
gaged in  the  work  with  an  energy  and  zeal,  earnestness  and  cheerful- 
ness, that  imparted  life  and  animation  to  the  school,  which  banished 
everything  like  drowsiness  or  inattention.  Every  eye  and  ear  was 
awake.  We  never  saw  more  hearty  study  or  more  promising  pupils. 
The  sounds  of 

"  ba,  be,  bo,  bu, 
am,  om,  im,  urn,  em," 

are  still  ringing  in  our  ears.  The  voices  of  the  Ebonites  are  by  no 
means  harsh  or  unpleasant.  Mr.  Doane  has  arranged  some  of  the 
elementary  exercises,  in  such  a  manner  that  they  form  a  simple  chant, 
rendering  the  lessons  very  easy  of  remembrance.  The  interesting- 
school  was  opened  by  singing  "  There  is  a  Happy  Land,"  and  closed 
by  a  hymn,  in  the  Ebon  language. 


33 
XX, 

DEFERENCE  TO  RANK  AMONG    MARSHALL  ISLANDERS. 

"  Honor  thy  Father  and  thy  Mother," 

Is  a  command  which  God  gave  to  Moses  upon  Sinai.  The  Marshall 
Islanders  reverse  this  law,  and  inculcate  the  principle,  "  parents  honor 
your  children."  The  oldest  son  of  a  family  rules  the  household.  He 
is  never  checked  or  restrained,  but  his  will  is  law  and  his  caprice  the 
rule.  While  visiting  Mr.  Doane's  family,  we  noticed  a  chief  pass  some 
food  to  his  little  son,  which  had  been  given  him  by  Mr.  Doane.  The 
father  did  not  even  taste  of  the  food,  before  offering  it  to  his  son.  We 
were  informed  that  should  the  oldest  son  even  kill  his  father,  or  any 
member  of  the  family,  he  would  not  be  called  to  account ! 

One  of  the  most  serious  difficulties  into  which  Mr.  Doane  ha^  ever 
been  brought,  was  when  he  unintentionally  treated  the  oldest  son  of  a 
high  chief,  in  a  manner  which  was  interpreted  as  an  insult  by  the  chief. 
The  lad  insulted  was  a  young  sans  culotte  sprig  of  the  highest  blood. 
His  father  fired  up  and  threatened.  He  defied  the  terrors  of  a  man-of- 
war  !  He  intimated  that  the  missionary's  life  might  be  the  forfeiture, 
or  that  he  might  be  disposed  of  as  so  many  other  foreigners  had  been  ! 
Mr.  Doane  calmly  remonstrated.  The  chief  then  intimated  that  a 
present  would  appease  his  wrath  and  restore  the  insulted  honor  of  his 
son.  "  No,"  said  the  missionary,  "  I  came  here  to  teach  you,  not  to 
make  you  presents."  He  then  pointed  out  to  him  the  law  of  God,  and 
read  the  ten  commandments,  closing  the  interview  with  prayer,  as  de- 
scribed in  another  part  of  the  sketches. 

Jealousy  respecting  rank  is  not  confined  to  rulers  and  princes  of  en- 
lightened and  civilized  nations.  We  have  never  known  stronger  feel- 
ings manifested  among  any  people  upon  this  subject,  than  among  the 
naked  savages  of  the  Marshall  Islands.  A  line  marked  and  dis- 
tinct is  drawn  between  chiefs  and  common  people.  There  is  no  crossing 
that  with  impunity.  We  asked  the  Rev.  Mr.  Doane,  what  crimes  were 
punishable  ?  He  replied,  "  none  but  insult  to  chiefs."  The  death 
penalty  is  not  unfrequently  inflicted  for  this  crime.  Only  a  few  days 
before  our  arrival  at  Ebon,  a  young  man  was  put  to  death,  on  the  mere- 
est  suspicion,  and  after  his  death  it  was  ascertained  that  he  was  inno- 
cent. 

While  the  chiefs  are  so  very  jealous  upon  this  subject,  still  they 
mingle  among  their  people,  and  outwardly  but  slight  deference  is  paid 
to  the  chiefs. 

Among  the  chiefs,  everything,  in  regard  to  rank,  depends  upon  who 
was  a  chiefs  mother.     The  female  gives  rank.     Their  ideas  and  laws 
respecting  marriage  are  very  peculiar.     A  chief  of  the   first  class  must 
marry  a  woman  of  the  second  class,  and  their  children  will  be  second 
class  chiefs.     A  first  class  woman  must  marry  a  second  class  chief,  and 
their  children  will  belong  to  the  first   class.     These   rules  are  rigidly 
enforced.     Polygamy  exists  among  them.     Some  have  as  many  as  four 
or  five  wives,  although  we  heard  of  none   who   carried  their  ideas  o 
polygamy  to  the  extent  of  Brigham  Young  and  his  followers. 
5 


XXI. 

FAREWELL  GLANCE  AT  MARSHALL  ISLANDS. 

These  islands  are  thirty  in  number.  Fifteen  forming  the  Ralick  or 
Western  Chain,  and  fifteen  forming  the  Radack  or  Eastern  Chain.  The 
population  is  estimated  at  10,000  ;  the  Ralickers  numbering  6,000,  and 
the  Radackers,  4,000.  Each  chain  of  islands  has  its  own  chiefs,  and 
are  independent  of  each  other,  although  the  chiefs  of  the  Ralick  Chain 
entertain  the  idea  of  nominal  supremacy.  There  was  a  rumor,  at  the 
time  of  our  visit,  that  the  chiefs  of  the  Ralick  Chain  were  about 
to  assert  and  endeavor  to  maintain  their  authority  over  their  less  pow- 
erful neighbors. 

The  food  of  the  natives  consists  of  bread  fruit,  jack  fruit,  (a  species 
of  bread  fruit,)  cocoa  nuts,  pandanus  fruit,  and  fish.  The  manufacture 
of  cocoanut  oil  has  been  commenced  at  Ebon,  Messrs.  Stapenhorst 
and  Hoffschlaeger  of  Honolulu,  having  recently  purchased  land  and 
erected  the  necessary  buildings.  It  was  estimated  that  nearly  one 
hundred  barrels  of  oil  would  be  collected  this  year.  As  yet  tobacco 
is  the  principal  article  of  barter  for  oil. 

All  the  islands  of  both  chains  are  coral,  low  and  lagoon  shaped. 
There  is  more  verdure  upon  these  than  upon  the  Gilbert  Islands. 
They  are  situated  in  a  region  of  the  Pacific  where  the  trade  winds 
blow  very  strong  and  are  accompanied  by  heavy  thunder  and  lightning. 
They  range  from  4  °  to  12  °  N.  L.,  and  165  °  to  172  °  E.  L.  The 
two  chains  of  islands  run  nearly  N.  W.  and  S.  E.,  and  are  parallel  to 
each  other.  The  whole  group  takes  its  name  of  Marshall  Islands,  from 
Capt.  Marshall,  of  the  English  Navy,  who  visited  them  in  the  year 
1788,  commanding  the  Scarborough.  The  visits  of  the  celebrated 
Russian  Navigator,  Kotzebue,  to  the  Radack  Chain,  are  full  of  interest 
as  described  in  his  voyages,  published  in  London,  1821,  in  three  vol- 
umes. These  islands,  however,  have  never  been  thoroughly  explored, 
and  are  very  incorrectly  laid  down  upon  the  charts.  The  notices  which 
have  been  published  respecting  them  in  Colton's  large  Atlas,  or  any 
other  geographical  works,  are  exceedingly  meagre,  incorrect,  and  un- 
satisfactory. Dr.  Gulick's  lecture  upon  the  Marshall  Islands,  is  higly 
interesting  and  instructive. 

We  now  take  our  leave  of  the  Marshall  Islands  and  their  inhabitants. 
Our  visit  opened  up  to  view,  a  new  phase  of  Polynesian  life.  We 
there  saw  the  humble  and  devoted  missionaries  laboriously  engaged  in 
the  work  of  reducing  the  language  to  a  written  form,  teaching  school 
and  preaching  to  the  people.  After  having  enjoyed  their  hospitality 
and  Christian  fellowship,  we  took  our  departure,  bringing  away  Mrs. 
Doane  and  her  two  little  children,  who  left  on  account  of  her  own 
health  and  the  sickness  of  the  youngest  child.  Never  shall  we  forget 
that  parting  scene.  This  hymn  was  sung  : 

11  How  vain  is  all  beneath  the  skies  ! 

How  transient  every  earthly  bliss  ! 
How  Blender  all  the  fondest  ties, 
That  bind  us  to  a  world  like  this,  &c.,  &c. 


35 

Then  let  the  hope  of  joys  to  come, 

Dispel  our  cares,  and  chase  our  fears  ; 
If  God  be  ours,  we're  travelling  home, 

Though  passing  through  a  vale  of  tears." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Doane  offered  a  prayer  in  the  Ebon  language,  and  it 
was  followed  by  a  prayer  in  English.  We  saw  a  number  of  the  native 
Christians,  or  "  lovers  of  Jesus,"  pass  around  to  the  state-room  window 
and  bid  Mrs.  Doane  farewell,  with  many  tears.  It  would  have  subdued 
the  stoutest  soul,  to  have  witnessed  the  missionary  part  with  his  wife 
and  children,  and  then  step  into  his  boat  and  steer  for  his  lonely  home  ! 
There  may  be  a  romance  about  the  missionary  life,  when  viewed  from 
the  shores  of  Christian  England  and  America,  but  all  romance  is  dissi- 
pated and  it  puts  on  a  stern  reality  when  the  real  experience  comes. 
As  we  stood  upon  the  quarter  deck  of  the  Morning  Star,  conversing 
with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Doane,  and  taking  a  last  look  at  the  shores  of  Ebon, 
we  said,  "  It  is  hard  for  you  to  part  with  your  family,  and  go  there  to 
labor  alone."  His  only  reply  was.  "  I  could  not,  if  I  did  not  feel  that 
Jesus  was  my  companion."  Surely  it  was  no  unmeaning  language  of 
our  Saviour,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world."  While  this  scene  was  passing,  the  sailors  were  heaving  at 
the  anchor,  and  the  sails  were  loosening.  We  were  soon  off  and  bound 
for  Strong's  Island,  but  with  the  glass,  we  watched  that  little  boat,  rising 
and  falling  with  the  swell,  until  it  was  lost  in  the  distance.  When 
that  happy  family  will  be  again  united,  is  known  only  to  the  Master,  in 
whose  cause  they  labor. 

XXII. 

UALAN,  STRONG'S  ISLAND,  OR  KUSAIE. 

In  reading  books  upon  Polynesia,  and  examining  charts  of  the  Paci- 
fic, there  is  nothing  more  perplexing  than  the  variety  of  names  applied 
to  the  same  islands,  or  group.  Ualan,  Strong's  Island  or  Kusaie,  is  a 
good  illustration  of  this  remark.  We  will  now  explain  the  several 
terms  or  names  applied  to  this  island. 

UALAN,  is  the  usual  name  found  upon  charts,  and  upon  large  atlases. 
This  is  the  name  which  the  natives  apply  to  the  large  or  main  island, 
while  Lila,  is  that  of  the  small  island. 

STRONG'S  ISLAND. — This  is  the  name  usually  applied  to  the  island,  by 
whalers  and  seafaring  people.  It  was  given  to  the  island  by  Capt. 
Crozer,  commanding  an  American  ship,  who  was  the  discoverer  in 
1804. 

KUSAIE. — This  is  the  name,  by  which  the  missionaries  prefer  to  call 
the  island.  It  is  really  the  most  appropriate  name,  as  the  native  term 
to  be  applied  to  the  two  islands,  viz  :  of  Ualan  and  Lila. 

The  principal  island,  Ualan,  is  twenty-four  miles  in  circumference, 
and  the  small  island,  Lila,  about  two  miles.  In  ancient  times,  the  large 
island  was  conquered  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  small  island,  and  to  the 
present  time,  remains  tributary.  The  King  resides  upon  the  small 
island.  The  mission  premises  are  also  located  upon  it.  It  is  separated, 


36 

from  the  large,  by  a  narrow  channel  of  the  eighth  of  a  mile  in  width. 
Both  are  densely  wooded,  with  cocoanut,  breadfruit,  mangrove  and 
numerous  other  tropical  trees.  The  forests  are  a  perfect  jungle.  The 
large  island  is  formed  of  two  mountains  towering  to  the  height  of 
about  2,000  feet,  which  may  be  seen  a  long  distance  at  sea.  The  for- 
ests are  intersected  by  numerous  small  streams.  The  climate  is  very 
humid,  as  we  can  testify !  Strong  winds  prevail.  Frequently  the 
rains  are  accompanied  by  heavy  thunder  and  vivid  flashes  of  lightning. 
There  are  three  harbors  upon  the  island. 

xxni. 

RUINS  ON   KUSAIE. 

Very  conflicting  statements  have  been  published  respecting  the  ruins 
on  Kusaie.  We  almost  expected  to  behold  the  ruins  of 

"  The  cloud  capp'd  towers,  the  gorgeous  palaces," 

covered  with  mosses  and  ivy,  while  from  other  reports,  we  were  not  led 
to  expect  any  thing  remarkable. 

We  found  this  to  be  the  simple  truth.  The  small  island  of  Lila,  is 
surrounded  by  a  wall,  five  or  six  feet  high,  but  now  very  much  dilapidat- 
ed. The  island  is  intersected  and  cut  up  by  walls  running  in  various 
directions,  enclosing  areas  varying  from  a  few  to  many  acres.  Some 
portions  of  these  walls,  are  very  massive,  varying  from  five  to  twenty- 
five  feet  in  height  and  proportionately  broad  or  thick.  The  stones  com- 
posing the  walls  were  gathered  from  the  island  but  a  part  were  brought  a  long 
distance  from  the  main  island.  This  is  true  of  some  very  large  pentago- 
nal basaltic  rocks.  Some  of  these  rocks  are  very  large.  We  saw 
specimens,  which  it  would  require  half  of  the  present  inhabitants  of 
the  island  to  move  and  elevate  to  their  present  position. 

We  copy  the  following  sentences  from  Dr.  Gulick's  third  lecture : 
"  From  M.  D'Urville's  reports  and  from  the  accounts  of  sea  captains 
we  had  received  glowjng  ideas  of  the  architectural  exhibitions  on  Lila ; 
we  were  to  find  a  native  city  handsomely  laid  out,  with  paved  streets, 
and  at  frequent  intervals  handsome  piles  of  stone-cut  masonry.  On  the 
contrary,  we  found  nothing  but  muddy  paths,  zigzagging  hither  and 
thither  over  rubbish  and  stones.  There  were  many  stone  walls  three  or 
four  feet  high,  evidently  of  very  recent  origin  ;  and  scattered  among 
the  groves  were  indeed  evidences  of  ancient  labor,  consisting  of  artiff- 
cial  islets,  built  up  above  high  tide  level,  and  almost  cyclopian  lines 
and  enclosures  of  stone  walls.  Banyan  like  trees  had  in  many  cases 
sent  their  roots  into  the  very  center  of  these  structures,  and  from  some 
spots  the  stones  have  been  entirely  removed.  A  line  of  stone,  varying 
in  height  in  different  parts,  surrounds  a  considerable  portion  of  the  cen- 
tral hill  of  Lila.  Not  far  from  the  King's  and  his  eldest  son's  resi- 
dences are  several  enclosures  about  two  hundred  by  one  hundred  feet, 
with  walls  twenty  feet  high,  and  in  some  places  at  the  foundations 
twelve  feet  thick.  We  partially  traced  at  least  one  very  much  larger 
l?ut  less  perfect  enclosure.  The  walls  are  built  of  basaltic  stones,  occa- 


37 

sionally  filled  in  with  coral.  Some  of  the  rocks  are  very  large  irregu- 
lar masses,  while  others  are  beautiful  pentagonal  prisms.  There  is 
not  the  remotest  trace  upon  any  of  them  of  a  stone-cutter's  adze. 
Along  the  south  western  shore  are  a  number  of  canals  communicating 
with  the  harbor  and  in  which  the  sea  ebbs  and  flows.  The  sides  of  the 
canals  are  in  some  cases  crumbled,  but  bear  evident  tokens  of  having 
been  artificially  built;  and  the  islets  themselves  are  evidently  in  a  con- 
siderable degree  artificial,  composed  principally  >f  coral  stones,  the 
rubbels  of  the  canals  themselves.  These  canals  intersected  each  other, 
and  so  formed  islets,  on  at  least  one  of  which  is  found  a  towering 
stone  enclosure.  Mangrove  trees  have  in  many  cases  choked  up  these 
watery  courses,  and  with  other  kinds  of  trees  on  the  islets  have  nearly 
buried  the  whole  in  a  shade  most  congenial  with  the  thoughts  excited 
by  these  relics  of  a  dimmer  age  than  that  which  we  might  hope  had 
now  dawned  upon  them. 

"  King  George  afterward  informed  us  that  these  walls  were  built  by 
the  former  inhabitants.  Many  of  the  larger  rocks  were  brought  from 
the  main  island  on  rafts.  When  we  asked  how  such  heavy  blocks  could 
be  elevated  so  high,  he  replied  they  were  rolled  up  from  one  level  to 
another  on  inclined  planes  ot  logs  and  stones.  As  to  their  uses,  he 
said  the  wall  about  the  hill  was  for  defense  from  aggressors  from  the 
main  island,  and  that  many  of  the  remaining  walls  were  in  honor  of 
the  dead.  Nothing  could  be  more  improbable  or  unsatisfactory  than 
to  import  a  company  of  buccaneers,  or  any  civilized  people,  to  build 
what  could  not  be  at  all  to  their  purpose,  nor  to  the  credit  of  their  ar- 
chitectural talents;  and  what  it  would  have  been  morally  impossible  for 
them  to  have  done.  The  inhabitants  of  Kusaie  are  even  now  skilled 
in  wall  building.  We  were  told  that  one  of  their  most  decisive  evi- 
dences of  public  grief  is  to  rebuild  the  wall  about  the  premises  of  a 
bereaved  chief;  and  to  this  day  the  chiefs  arc  buried  in  one  of  the  an- 
cient enclosures,  as  though  they  were  the  mausoleums  of  the  great. 
Possibly  they  may  in  the  first  instance  have  been  built  about  royal  resi- 
dences, and  on  the  decease  of  the  builders  have  become  their  magnifi- 
cent sepulchres,  though  the  analogy  of  present  Micronesian  customs  de- 
cides against  it." 

XXIV. 

WEATHER  BOUND  ON  KUSAIE. 

It  is  related  of  a  voyager  in  the  South  Pacific,  that  he  once  visited 
an  island  inhabited  by  savages,  where  a  white  man  was  not  safe.  Du- 
ring a  subsequent  voyage  the  ship  in  which  he  sailed,  was  wrecked  upon 
the  same  island.  He  confidently  expected  that  an  untimely  end  would 
be  his  certain  fate.  Soon  however  he  was  met  by  a  friendly  native,  who 
kindly  pointed  the  wrecked  man  to  the  house  of  the  '•  Mikinari." 
Hope  now  succeeded  to  fear  in  the  sailor's  mind.  He  exclaimed, 
"  All's  well,  there  is  a  missionary  here." 

We  have  never  been  wrecked,  but  we  have  been  weather-bound,  and 
unable  to  join  our  vessel.  We  landed  on  Kusaie,  early  Sabbath  morning, 


38 

and  were  unable  to  communicate  with  the  Morning  Star,  until  the  fol- 
lowing Friday.  Not  only  did  we  enjoy  the  feeling  of  security  among 
Kusaiens,  but  we  also  enjoyed  the  kind  entertainment  of  a  most  hospi- 
table family.  We  shall  not  very  soon  forget  the  kindness  and  generous 
treatment  we  experieuced  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snow,  the  only  white  per- 
sons residing  upon  the  island.  During  the  period  of  our  detention,  we 
enjoyed  an  excellent  opportunity  for  picking  up  numerous  items  of 
historical  and  local  interest,  visiting  the  dwellings  of  the  inhabitants, 
observing  their  habits  and  customs,  besides  examining  the  progress  of 
the  people  in  their  appreciation  of  the  missionary's  efforts  to  raise 
them  in  the  scale  of  civilization,  and  impart  to  them  the  invaluable 
blessings  of  Christianity.  The  Sabbath  being  our  first  day  spent  among 
the  Kusaiens,  naturally  leads  us  to  refer,  in  the  first  place,  to  Kusaie  as 
a  mission  field. 

XXV. 

MISSION  ON  KUSAIE. 

This  mission  was  established  in  the  autumn  of  1852,  by  the  Kev.  B. 
G.  Snow  and  wife.  They  were  left  there  by  the  schooner  Caroline, 
commanded  by  Capt.  Holdsworth,  during  the  successful  trip  of  that 
vessel  to  Micronesia,  on  a  missionary  enterprise.  The  missionaries 
were  welcomed  by  King  George,  who  not  only  allowed  them  a  residence, 
but  gave  them  a  most  cordial  welcome,  and  who  proved  to  the  day  of 
his  death,  (September  9th,  1854,)  a  firm  and  steadfast  friend  of 
the  missionary.  Before  his  death  he  offered  the  most  gratifying  evi- 
dence that  his  soul  had  embraced  the  glorious  doctrines  of  Christianity, 
as  unfolded  and  explained  by  Mr.  Snow.  The  King's  death  threw  a 
dark  shadow  over  the  prospects  of  the  mission,  for  his  successor  was 
a  man  possessed  of  the  very  opposite  traits  of  character,  who  died  in 
about  two  years,  as  he  lived,  the  debased  slave  of  lust  and  drunkenness. 
He  was  succeeded  by  the  present  chief  ruler,  whose  conduct  and  policy 
towards  the  mission,  is  by  no  means  one  of  opposition,  but  rather  that 
of  indifference.  He  uniformly  treats  the  missionary  with  kindness, 
and  is  a  friendly  neighbor,  comes  to  meeting  upon  the  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, and  like  too  many  in  Christian  lands,  during  the  week  is  a  faithful 
servant  of  this  world. 

The  King  was  almost  the  first  Kusaien  to  whom  we  were  introduced, 
for  we  found  him  at  church  before  the  audience,  had  assembled.  Soon 
after  we  entered,  an  audience  gathered  of  about  one  hundred.  The 
men  were  seated  cross-legged  upon  mats,  in  the  rear.  The  King 
and  three  high  chiefs  upon  benches,  and  the  females  and  children  in 
front  of  the  missionary,  while  the  missionary's  family  and  strangers 
were  disposed  of  on  the  left  of  the  desk. 

A  manuscript  collection  of  hymns,  was  handed  us,  and  others  re- 
ceived the  same,  for  a  Kusaien  had  never  as  yet  looked  upon  a  printed 
page  of  his  language,  although  this  gratification  was  soon  afforded  him, 
as  the  Morning  Star  brought  300  copies  of  a  small  primer  and  hymn 
book  printed  in  the  Kusaien  language.  Mr.  Snow  gave  out  the  hymns, 


and  conducted  the  services,  after  the  usual  method  in  our  congrega- 
tions, excepting  that  he  called  upon  the  strangers  for  some  remarks, 
which  he  interpreted.  The  audience  was  respectful  and  attentive. 
The  utmost  decorum  prevailed  during  the  exercises.  The  closing 
hymn,  was  the  translation  of  that  familiar  English  Hymn, 

'*  The  Saviour  calls — let  every  one 

Attend  the  heavenly  sound  ; 
Ye  doubting  souls  !  dismiss  your  fear, 
Hope  smiles  reviving  round." 

We  very  much  doubt  whether  Mrs.  Steele,  the  author  of  this  hymn, 
the  friend  of  Addison,  imagined  it  would  ever  be  translated  into  the 
language  of  a  savage  tribe  upon  an  island  of  the  Pacific,  not  to  be  dis- 
covered until  after  she  had  been  dead  for  a  hundred  years. 

After  the  morning  exercises  were  closed,  the  Sabbath  School  con- 
vened, when  about  twenty-five  remained.  Through  Mr.  Snow  as  in- 
terpreter, the  strangers  present  endeavored  to  interest  the  pupils. 

At  the  afternoon  service,  gathered,  what  Mr.  Snow  denominates  "  his 
Christian  congregation."  Among  them  appeared  Kedukka  and  family, 
who  have  for  some  years  professed  a  strong  attachment  to  the  gospel. 
Several  others  are  affording  the  gratifying  evidence  of  having  been 
born  again,  and  stand  as  candidates  for  church  membership,  while 
others  show  an  inquiring  state  of  mind.  Kedukka,  mentioned  above, 
evinces  a  strong  determination  to  make  his  light  shine.  He  has  com- 
menced itinerating  through  the  villages  upon  the  island,  and  appears 
to  make  known  among  his  benighted  fellow  islanders,  the  truths  of  the 
gospel. 

Oh  the  following  Wednesday  afternoon,  a  most  interesting  prayer- 
meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  the  missionaries,  when  native  Chris- 
tians and  strangers  from  abroad,  "  felt  it  good  to  be  there."  There 
was  distributed  for  the  first  time,  copies  of  printed  hymns. 

While  the  labors  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snow  were  peculiarly  designed  for 
the  natives  of  Kusaie,  we  feel  that  they  have  also  accomplished  a  most 
important  work  in  behalf  of  seamen.  Oftentimes  during  their  residence 
there,  the  harbors  of  the  island  have  been  visited  by  numerous  whale 
ships,  sometimes  fifteen  or  twenty  at  a  time ;  but  we  shall  refer  to  this 
topic  under  another  heading. 

In  addition  to  Mr.  Snow's  labors  at  the  station,  he  is  accustomed  to 
make  tours  about  the  island — preaching  from  village  to  village.  These 
are  very  laborious.  The  whole  south  side  of  the  large  island  seems  much 
inclined  to  receive  missionary  labors,  while  the  northern  part  is  op- 
posed, and  holds  on  to  its  former  superstitions.  The  work  however  has 
begun  and  will  spread,  and  unquestionably  should  the  mission  be  pros- 
e9uted,  the  entire  population  will  be  soon  brought  under  Christian  influ- 
ences. 

As  we  shall  show  in  another  paper,  the  inhabitants  of  Kusaie  are 
rap  idly  diminishing  in  numbers.  This  fact  in  connection  with  the  ur- 
gent call  for  missionary  labor  at  the  Marshall  Islands,  has  led  to  the 
prospective  removal  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snow  to  Ebon,  when  the  Morn- 
ing  Star  shall  make  another  trip  to  Micronesia,  His  removal  has  been 


41 

decided  upon  by  his  associates  of  the  mission,  and  approved  of  by  the 
Prudential  Committee  of  the    American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
at  Boston.     It  is  now  contemplated  to  supply  his  place  by  an  Hawaiian 
issionary.  as  soon  as  necessary  arrangements  can  be  made. 

XXVI. 

GOVERNMENT  AND   CUSTOMS  OF  KUSAIENS. 

We  have  learned  some  interesting  facts  about  this  people.  They 
have  the  most  exact  system  of  clannish  tribal  relationships  that  could 
well  be  conceived  of.  The  name  for  tribe  is  Seuf. 

There  'die  four  tribes,  no  more  nor  less  from  time  immemorial.  The 
names  of  the  tribes  and  their  order,  are  as  follows  : 

Peinuii,  Ton,  Lisuge,  and  Neus. 

Peinuii,  means  true  or  correct. 

Ton,  is  the  name  of  a  sacred  eel. 

Lisuge,  a  partition. 

Neus,  is  the  name  for  foot. 

The  Kusaiens  marry  in  the  most  indiscriminate  manner  possible. 
From  time  immemorial  the  children  follow  the  mother.  The  Jews 
were  never  more  exact  in  their  lineage  than  this  people  are  in  preserv- 
ing their  line  of  descent. 

PRINCIPAL  CHIEF. — This  office  is  not  hereditary.  Though  not  quite 
elective  among  the  near  relatives  of  the  deceased  sachem  of  the  same 
tribe,  yet  in  the  prospective  demise  of  the  Togusa  or  King,  there  is  a 
good  deal  of  what  American  politicians  would  call  log-rolling,  for  the 
King-ship,  and  after  all  is  done,  the  chief  of  another  tribe  may  succeed 
to  the  throne,  if  the  popular  feeling  among  the  people  sets  strongly  in 
that  direction. 

A  son  of  a  former  Togusa  or  King,  may  succeed  to  his  father ;  so 
also  the  son  of  a  brother,  or  a  sister,  of  the  Togusa,  although  there  is 
no  law  in  regard  to  such  a  course. 

So  far  as  Mr.  Snow  has  been  able  to  learn  from  observation  or  in- 
quiry, the  duties  of  the  Togusa  are  not  confined  to  affairs  of  peace. 
In  a  war  which  the  natives  had  with  some  foreigners  in  '57,  who  en- 
deavored to  get  possession  of  the  island,  the  Togusa,  was  commandeF- 
in-chief  of  the  tribes.  Nothing  could  be  done  without  his  permission 
or  direction.  When  peace  was  made  by  the  arrival  of  the  Morning 
Star,  the  Togusa  was  the  sole  executive  in  the  crisis,  though  there 
was  previously  held  a  convention  for  consultation  among  all  the  chiefs. 

We  learned  from  Mr.  Snow  the  following  interesting  facts  respecting 
the  bonds  of  relationship.  If  a  man  has  a  dozen  brothers,  his  children 
have  as  many  fathers,  besides  their  natural  father,  and  all  the  children 
of  those  mothers  are  brothers  and  sisters.  All  the  fathers,  sisters  or 
mothers  to  his  children,  and  the  sister's  children,  are  brothers  and  sis- 
ters to  her  brother's  children.  The  same  law  holds  good  on  the  moth- 
er's side. 

The  names  of  individuals  are  not  changed  from  the  cradle  to  the 
grave,  unless  the  person  is  exalted  to  become  a  chief.  Then  the  com- 


41 

mon  name  is  dropped  and  he  or  she  goes  by  the  official  name.  Every 
male  chiefish  title,  has  a  corresponding  female  chiefish  title,  viz  : 

Togusa  male  title,  Kosa  female  title.  Should  the  chief  have  several 
wives,  but  one  can  bear  the  official  title.  When  the  husband  dies,  the 
female  title  is  gradually  dropped.  If  another  immediately  succeeds  to 
the  chieftain-ship,  the  title  is  dropped  at  once,  and  all  the  honors,  titles, 
lands,  servants  &c.,  succeed  to  the  chief  elect. 

Mr.  Snow  relates  the  folio-wing  facts  in  regard  to  the  absolute  sub- 
serviency of  the  people  to  their  chiefs  or  their  king,  e.  g.:  the  male 
child  of  the  daughter  of  old  King  George — this  daughter  being  the  wife 
of  the  second  chief  in  authority — receives  from  her  mother  the  same  defe- 
rential regard  that  he  would  if  he  were  a  chief  already  titled.  In  ad- 
dressing the  child,  though  but  an  infant,  the  prefix  Se,  equivalent  to 
our  Sir  or  Honorable,  is  invariably  employed.  This  brother  must  never 
touch  the  child's  head,  although  he  may  handle  other  parts  of  the 
child's  body,  oil  or  wash  it,  but  no  greater  offense  could  be  given  to 
the  parents  of  the  child  than  for  him  to  touch  any  part  of  the  body  above 
the  shoulders.  Now  if  this  daughter  ot  the  old  kinj  had  an  older  sister, 
then  this  one  of  whom  we  have  been  speaking,  would  be  obliged  to  ex- 
hibil  the  same  tokens  of  respect  to  the  older  sister's  child  or  children. 
All  these  ceremonies  going  or  tending  to  keep  the  idea  of  the  superior- 
ity of  the  mother,  that  the  honors  and  royalty  are  lodged  in  her  heredi- 
tarily. 

Mr.  Snow  furnished  me  with  the  following  interesting  facts  in  regard 
to  their  tribal  laws,  relating  to  help  in  sickness.  If  one  is  sick  or  in 
distress,  or  needs  help  in  any  other  way,  then  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
tribe  to  which  he  belongs  to  render  that  help.  They,  as  speedily  as 
possible,  gather  about  those  in  distress,  and  remain  with  them  until 
relieved,  or  removed  by  death.  If  removed  by  death,  they  continue 
their  attentions,  supplying  all  the  necessaries  for  four  days  of  feasting 
after  death.  This  is  a  law  of  the  tribes,  and  it  altereth  not. 

Mr.  S.  stated  the  following  custom  among  them,  in  regard  to  the 
treatment  of  a  chief's  child,  until  it  can  crawl.  It  must  never  lie  upon 
the  floor,  but  be  held,  night  and  day,  month  after  month  in  the  arms  of 
nurses  and  servants.  The  person  holding  the  child,  must  allow  its 
neck  to  rest  upon  the  arm,  that  when  the  child  is  at  rest,  the  head  falls 
back. 


XXVII. 

DECREASE  OF  POPULATION  ON  KUSAIE. 

January  5,  1858,  the  Kev.  Mr.  Snow  thus  wrote  to  the  editors  of  the 
Missiojiary  Herald,  as  appears  from  the  April  No.  of  the  Herald,  for 
1859.  "I  have  just  finished  taking  the  census  of  the  island  again,  and 
find  that  there  are  now  about  830  inhabitants — 518  mates  and  312 
females,  including  children  ;  making  the  proportion  of  mates  to  females 
about  5  to  3.  When  1  took  the  census  about  two  and  a  half  years  ago, 
the  population  was  a  few  over  1100.  This  shows  that  our  people  are 
diminishing  at  a  rapid  rate,  but  the  war  has  had  some  hand  in  the  di- 
6 


minution  the  past  year.  I  have  found  more  infants  upon  the  island 
than  at  any  other  time  when  I  have  taken  the  census.  *  *  *  When 
the  books  are  opened  there  will  be  a  scene  presented  from  these  islands 
of  the  Pacific  where  ships  have  been  accustomed  to  touch,  at  which  so 
called  civilization  will  hang  her  head,  and  call  upon  the  mountains  and 
rocks  to  fall  upon  her,  and  if  possible  hide  her  shame  from  the  gaze  of 
the  assembled  universe.  For  at  the  bar  of  God,  these  men  from  Chris- 
tian lands  will  find  there  is  such  a  thing  as  shame  and  remorse." 

At  our  visit,  Mr.  Snow  allowed  us  to  copy  the  following  memoranda 
from  his  Journal:  "  Dec.  29,  1860.  Finished  taking  the  census  to- 
day. I  make  743  in  all — 523  in  CJalan  and  225  in  Lila.  The  males 
ef  the  adults  and  older  children  411,  while  the  females  of  the  same 
were  258.  But  of  the  younger  children  and  infants  the  males  were 
37  and  females  42,  thus  making  the  proportion  of  the  older  of  the 
women  to  the  men  0.63,  while  with  the  children,  it  is  1.13.  This  certain- 
inly  is  a  hopeful  phase  for  the  restoration  of  the  race,  and  I  desire  to 
thank  God  that  it  is  so." 


XXVIII. 

MISSIONARY  OFFICIATING  AS    SEAMEN'S    CHAPLAIN. 

The  Rev.  ,G.  B.  Snow,  at  Strong's  Island  or  Kusaie,  has  been  ac- 
customed to  officiate  as  Chaplain,  when  seamen  were  in  port.  In 
former  years  many  English  and  American  whale  ships  have  visited 
that  island  for  supplies.  The  bark  Superior,  Capt.  R.  D.  Woods,  vis- 
ited Strong's  Island  in  1860,  and  sailed  from  thence  to  the  Solomon's 
Islands,  where  the  master  and  nearly  all  the  crew  were  cruelly  massa- 
cred by  the  natives.  An  account  of  their  massacre  has  been  exten- 
sively published  in  the  island  and  American  newspapers.  The  disas- 
ter took  place  in  Sept.  1860.  Capt.  Hugh  Mair,  master  of  the  Eng- 
lish schooner,  Ariel,  thus  writes  from  Rubiana,  Solomon  Islands,  Nov. 
30,  1860 : 

"  On  Sunday,  the  16th,  nine,  of  the  crew  went  ashore.  The  carpen- 
ter and  two  men  went  to  the  settlement  and  were  murdered  in  one  of 
the  native  huts.  The  natives  then  proceeded,  in  canoes  and  overland, 
to  the  ship;  and  those  who  came  by  land  fell  in  with  the  remaining  six, 
close  to  the  beach,  and  murdered  them.  About  150  natives  got  on 
board  the  vessel,  and  made  a  rush  on  the  crew,  who  were  all  on  deck — 
except  four  who  were  in  bed.  Those  on  deck  were  immediately  toma- 
hawked, only  two  escaping  by  jumping  down  the  main  hatchway,  and 
joining  the  four  below  in  the  forecastle.  One  of  the  crew,  whom  I  re- 
covered, saw  the  captain  and  second  mate  murdered  by  a  native  called 
'Billy,'  who  has  been  to  Sydney,  and  speaks  English  well.  The 
chief  Copan  was  the  principal  in  this  dreadful  massacre.  The  six 
men  below,  being  armed  with  lances,  kept  the  natives  from  coming 
down  the  forecastle,  until  at  last  '  Billy '  told  my  informant  that  if 
they  came  up  they  should  not  be  hurt.  At  length,  therefore,  they  did 
so,  and  were  at  onc'e  surrounded  by  the  chief  Copan's  orders  to  be  put 
to  death.  The  chief  America  offered  to  buy  three  of  .the  men,  and  he 


43 

persuaded  Copan  to  keep  the  other  three  to  till  the  ground.  These 
three,  as  I  have  already  intimated,  I  could  not  recover." 

While  the  Superior  lay  at  Strong's  Island,  the  Master,  Capt.  Wood, 
and  his  crew  were  accustomed  to  attend  the  native  service  upon  the 
Sabbath.  The  news  of  the  massacre  was  taken  to  the  island  by  the 
Morning  Star.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Snow  and  wife  were  deeply  affected 
by  the  sad  intelligence.  Mr.  Snow  then  exhibited  the  following  ex- 
tract from  a  letter  which  he  had  addressed  the  owners  of  the  Superior  in 
New  Bedford.  This  letter  was  written  and  forwarded  long  before  the 
news  of  the  massacre  was  known.  It  was  the  postscript  to  a  letter 
upon  business,  relating  to  a  wreck,  which  had  occurred  at  the  island. 

"  P.  S.  Gentleman,  allow  me  to  detain  you  for  a  moment  by  express- 
ing my  interest  in  and  high  regard  for  this  R.  D.  Wood.  He  has  made 
our  little  island  quite  a  port  of  entry  since  we  have  been  located 
here,  and  from  the  first  we  have  always  hailed  his  coming  with 
much  pleasure.  Among  the  almost  entire  licentious  delinquencies  of 
those  who  visit  us,  it  affords  me  the  truest  pleasure  to  bear  honorable 
testimony  in  favor  of  the  uniformly  pure  and  upright  conduct  of 
this  Capt.  Wood.  Besides  this,  he  has  endeared  himself  to  us  by  many 
an  act  of  generous  kindness  in  supplying  some  ot  our  wants,  and  es- 
pecially in  bringing  us  some  of  our  mails.  Though  not  the  most 
talkative  of  men,  yet  his  occasional  visits  to  our  family  in  our  isolated, 
but  pleasant  and  happy  home,  have  always  been  most  welcome  and 
afforded  us  much  enjoyment.  It  may  afford  his  good  lady,  some  of  his 
cousins  and  that  favorite  niece,  some  pleasure  to  hear  thus  of  him, 
though  it  be  from  a  stranger.  Though  we  have  seen  less  of  Capt. 
Morrison  of  the  Daniel  Wood,  yet  it  affords  me  sincere  pleasure  to  bear 
equally  high  and  honorable  testimony  concerning  him.  He  has  done 
us  great  kindness  not  only  in  oui  mail  department,  but  also  in  bringing 
supplies  from  Honolulu." 

On  the  last  Sabbath  the  Superior  lay  at  Strong's  Island,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Snow  preached  the  following  discourse  to  the  ship's  company. 
Considering  the  untimely  fate  of  so  many  interesting  young  men,  far 
away  from  home  and  country,  it  may  be  interesting  to  their  friends  to 
learn  that  they  should  have  conducted  with  so  much  propriety,  during 
their  last  visit  at  a  port  where  they  could  listen  to  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel.  This  discourse  was  prepared  without  the  most  distant  thought 
ihat  it  would  ever  be  solicited  for  publication : 

"  And  straightway  Jesus  constrained  his  disciples  |o  get  into  a  ship,  and  to  go  be- 
fore him  unto  the  other  side. — MATHEW  xiv:22. 

There  cluster  about  our  text  some  of  the  most  instructive  incidents 
and  transactions  in  the  life  of  the  Divine  Redeemer.  He  had  been 
spending  a  short  season  in  his  own  city,  Nazareth,  trying  to  impart 
heavenly  wisdom  unto  the  friends  of  his  earlier  days.  But  it  was  soon 
seen  that  a  prophet  had  no  honor  in  his  own  country,  nor  even  in  his 
own  house.  Like  >many  other  foolish  people,  they  loved  things  better 
that  were  "  far  fetched  and  dear  bought."  They  were  not  to  be  in- 
structed by  the  "Carpenter's  son,"  not  they.  So  "He  did  not  many 
mighty  works  there  because  of  their  unbelief."  *  *  * 


44 

But   let   us   turn    our    attention   now    to   his    disciples   and   that 
night   upon   the    sea.       While    the    Master    was   praying   upon    the 
mountains,  the  disciples   were   sailing  on   the  waters.     The  disciples 
doubtless   had  a  place  in  that  prayer,  and  the  chosen  twelve  thought 
and  talked   of  their   absent   Lord.      Four   of    those   sailors  at  least, 
Simon  Peter  and   Andrew  his   brother   with  the   two  sons   of  Zebe- 
dee  were  no  strangers  upon  that  lake.     Many  a  long  night  had  they 
sat    in   their    boats   alternately   watching   their  nets   and   the    Stars. 
They  iiad  thought  of  the   sweet  influences   of  the    Pleiades,   and  the 
bands  of  Orion,  they  knew  the  hand  that   guided  Arcturus  and   his 
sons.     But  now  they  had  left  their  fishing  tackle  and  their  fathers  and 
had  been  called  to  be  fishers  of  men.     The  words  and  wonders  of  the 
preceeding   day  with  the    strangely   abundant  supper   for  that  great 
multitude  might  have  justly  awakened  their  pride    and  feelings  of  ad- 
miration for  their  new  master.     But  they  are  hardly   out  upon  the  sea 
ere  they  are  beset  with  difficulties.     A  contrary   wind   and  a  boisterous 
sea  kept  them  toiling  in  rowing  for   the  livelong  night ;  and  they  had 
hardly  made  half  their  passage,  when  the  dawning  day  brought  to  their 
astonished    vision  what  they  had  supposed  to  have  been  a  spirit,  and 
they  cried  out  for  fear.     The  apparition  came  up  and  made  as  though  it 
would  have  passed.     But  Jesus  seeing  and  hearing  their  fears    imme- 
diately talked  with  them,  and  said  in  his  well  known  voice,  "  Be  of  good 
cheer,  it  is  I,  be  not  afraid."     His  word  to  their  spirits  was  like  "  Peace 
be   still"    to    the   troubled    waters.       As   soon    as  he    is  recognized 
the   impulsive    Peter    must    try   a  walk    upon    the   waters.      "  And 
Peter  answered  him  and  said,  Lord,  if  it  be  thou,   bid  me  come  unto 
thee  on  the  water."     And  he  said,  Come  !    I  suspect  the  "if  it  be  thou," 
in  his  prayer  shows  that  the  thoughts  of  the   ghost   had    not   all   been 
displaced  for  complete  faith  in  his  Master.     For  when  he  saw  the  wind 
boisterous  he  was  afraid,  and  beginning  to  sink  he  cried  for  help.     Im- 
mediately Jesus  stretched  forth  his  hand  and  caught  him.     Then  the 
rebuke,  "O  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt?"     The 
wet  Peter  and  the  welcome  Jesus  were  soon  in  the  ship,  when  the  wind 
ceased.     They  soon  had  prayers,  and  it  was  a  pleasant  morning  wor- 
ship. For  it  is  written,  "  Then  they  that  were  in  the  ship  came  and  wor- 
shiped him,  saying  of  a  truth,  thou  art  the   Son  of  God."     They  were 
sore  amazed  in  themselves,  beyond  measure,  because  they  had  forgotten 
the  five  loaves  and  the  5000.     But  ere  they  had  finished  their  aston- 
ishment their  passage  is  made,   and  they  are  all   safely  on  shore  with 
the  opening  duties  of  a  new  day  before  them.     I  hardly   need   pursue 
the  narrative  farther,  though  the  following  day  is  filled  with  incidents 
of  peculiar  and  striking  interest.     We  shall  do  better  to  pause  here  and 
gather  a  few  practical  lessons  from  what  we   have   already  witnessed. 
My  audience  will  not  object  to  our   gathering  some  lessons  from  this 
night  on  the  sea. 

I.     Those  who  enter  the  service  of  Christ  need  not  abandon  the  sea. 

I  should  almost  feel  like  begging  pardon  of  my  seafaring  friends  for 
making  such  a  remark,  had  not  the  assertion  been  so  often  made  to  me 
by  those  first  in  authority,  that  it  is  no  use  to  try  to  be  religious  till  we 


45 

are  done  with  whaling1,  and  have  quit  the  sea.  I  am  aware  that  such 
remarks  may  be  made  to  parry  off  the  truth  and  to  quiet  an  uneasy 
conscience,  rather  than  as  an  honest  expression  of  an  intelligent  man. 
And  yet,  my  hearers,  will  bear  me  witness  that  giving  utterance  to 
such  a  sentiment  whenever  the  claims  of  God  and  the  duties  of  reli- 
gion are  urged  upon  the  conscience,  would  soon  make  a  sentiment, 
however  false,  an  absolute  fact  in  its  practical  influence  upon  the  lives 
of  men.  But  God  allows  no  such  let  off.  His  claims  upon  the  love 
and  service  of  his  intelligent  creatures  are  not  limited  to  the  land  ;  they 
extend  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
And  my  heart  rises  in  thankfulness  to  God  that  this  is  not  mere  theory. 
The  witnesses  upon  the  sea,  though  not  so  many  as  we  could  desire, 
have  yet  been  very  numerous,  and  sometimes  of  very  marked  and  dis- 
tinguishing clearness,  from  that  old  voyager  in  the  ark  to  the  present  time. 
Thanks  be  to  God  that  he  has  always  had  a  seed  to  serve  him  on  the 
sea.  And  perhaps  at  no  period  in  the  past  has  the  number  of  these 
been  more  rapidly  multiplying  than  within  a  year  or  two  of  the  present 
time.  The  means  too  are  constantly  multiplying  to  effect  this  same 
end.  The  intelligent  sympathies  also  of  the  Christian  world,  are  be- 
ing more  and  more  wisely  awakened  and  turned  to  the  great  and  glo- 
rious result  of  gathering  the  fullness  of  the  sea  into  the  Kingdom  of 
God.  My  friends  of  the  Superior  can  you  not  trace  growing  emotions 
in  your  own  hearts  which  will  bear  favorable  testimony  to  the  truth  of 
these  remarks  ?  If  so,  yield  your  hearts  to  those  emotions  and  you 
will  soon  find  in  your  own  happy  experience  that  those  who  enter  the 
service  of  christ  need  not  abandon  the  sea. 

II.  Another  lesson  from  that  night  upon  the  sea  is  that  it  is  always 
•safe  to  obey  Christ. 

It  is  true  that  <they  had  not  the  bodily  presence  of  their  Divine  Mas- 
ter on  board,  as  at  another  time  when  crossing  the  lake  of  Genesaret, 
he  was  asleep  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  ship,  but  they  had  what  was  just  as 
good  for  their  safety,  his  command,  "  Get  into  the  ship  and  go  unto  the 
other  side."  There  was  nothing  in  the  articles  about  Peter  leaving  the 
ship  and  trying  to  foot  it.  And  he  seemed  to  have  gained  only  a  wet- 
ting for  his  folly  and  a  reprimand  for  his  rashness.  Had  John  tried  it,  I 
suspect  he  could  have  gone  much  more  safely  than  did  Peter.  But  he 
had  the  wisdom  to  serve  his  Master  where  his  Master  put  him.  Peter 
would  have  done  much  better  to  have  kept  his  seat  at  the  oar.  De- 
serters, even  when  it  is  done  under  the  cloak  of  piety,  are  only  losers 
in  the  end.  How  many  have  read  about  Peter's  folly  since  that  night ! 
and  how  much  talk  there  has  been  about  it!  We  are  apt  to  re- 
member and  talk  of  the  foolish  things  that  men  do,  much  longer 
than  we  do  their  wise  things.  The  disciples  had  a  head  wind  and 
a  rough  sea,  so  that  they  were  all  night  in  making  a  passage  which 
might  have  been  made  in  two  hours.  So  that  being  a  servant  of 
Christ,  don't  exempt  from  trials  even  at  sea.  But  how  often  contrary 
winds  occasion  hard  thoughts  of  God,  and  hard  words,  too,  some- 
times !  Had  the  disciples  made  a  quick  passage,  they  and  the  world 
had  probably  never  known  that  illustration  of  Divine  power  in  the 
Saviour,  his  walking  upon  the  water.  Be  sure  that  you  have  an  ear 


46 

and  a  heart  intent  upon  hearing  and  obeying  the  commands  of  Christ, 
and  you  need  have  no  fears  concerning  the  winds  or  the  waves.  Every 
event  will  have  its  lessons  of  wisdom  to  teach,  and  each  trial  of  faith 
and  patience  will  bring  good  to  the  heart,  though  there  may  be  less 
gold  in  the  pocket.  Safety  and  welfare  of  the  ship  is  much  more 
thought  of  and  planned  for  than  the  safety  and  welfare  of  the  soul. 
Good  for  the  voyage,  is  oftener  the  question  than  "  will  it  be  good  for 
heaven  !"  While  if  a  thing  is  good  for  heaven,  it  certainly  can't  be 
bad  for  a  voyage.  There  are  no  tests  of  friendship  where  there  are 
no  trials. 

The  being  wind  bound  is  one  thing,  the  being  will  bound  is  quite 
another.  The  one  may  keep  from  going  to  sea  for  awhile,  the  other 
may  keep  from  going  to  heaven  forever.  For  the  words  of  Christ  are 
"  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye  might  have  life."  There  was  an  old 
Governor  of  Israel,  Joshua  by  name,  who  said  "  as  for  me  and  my 
house,  we  ivill  serve  the  Lord."  I  knew  another  of  less  note,  but  equally 
wise  in  that  thing,  and  he  was  a  sailor.  When  urged  to  the  surrender 
of  his  will  to  God,  exclaimed,  "  I  will  serve  God  or  nobody."  By  so 
doing  they  are  both  safe  for  heaven.  You  who  hear  me  now,  "  Go  and 
do  likewise"  and  you  will  be  equally  safe  for  the  same  place. 

III.  A  third  point  of  instruction  is,  that  sailors  should  never  forget 
the  Saviour. 

No  class  of  people  in  all  the  world  were  so  honored  as  sailors  in  the 
choice  which  Christ  made  of  his  disciples.  One-third  of  the  whole 
number  were  chosen  from  that  class  alone.  Then  to  carry  the  honor 
still  further,  he  chose  his'three  favorite  disciples  out  of  those  four. 
Has  this  distinction  been  well  repaid  in  the  gratitude  and  love  of  sea- 
men ?  Your  better  acquaintance  with  seamen  than  mine,  better  quali- 
fies you  to  answer  the  question.  Let  me  put  the  question  more  prac- 
tically :  Do  you,  yourselves  acknowledge  your  indebtedness  to  Christ  on 
this  account  ?  Perhaps  it  has  not  been  sufficiently  thought  of  to  be 
intelligently  answered.  It  certainly  calls  loudly  for  your  consideration. 
"  For  unto  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  be  much  required." 
Be  assured  my  friends,  Christ  has  strong  claims  upon  seamen.  And  I 
ask  you  as  men  belonging  to  that  class,  have  not  those  claims  been 
sufficiently  long  protested  ?  Is  it  not  time  that  you  yourselves  acknowl- 
edged those  claims  and  were  paying  your  dues  ?  From  our  stand  point 
it  would  seem  that  the  Saviour  was  not  wise  in  having  so  many  seamen 
with  him  as  his  intimate  friends  and  counsellors.  For  though  they 
come  from  almost  every  land,  it  is  a  pity  that  more  don't  find  their  way 
back  again;  but  the  pity  is  still  greater,  that  of  those  who  do  return, 
so  few  have  been  improved  during  their  absence.  So  fearful  is  the 
state  of  things  in  this  regard,  that  I  have  seldom  found  an  observing 
or  sensible  seaman  who  would  choose  a  sailor's  life  for  his  own  boy. 
And  in  all  my  intercourse  with  the  world,  I  have  never  found  a  class  of 
men,  as  a  class,  among  whom  there  are  so  few  Christians.  But  not- 
withstanding these  drawbacks,  I  am  far  from  attributing  want  of  wis- 
dom and  the  broadest  forecast  to  the  course  pursued  by  our  blessed  Saviour. 
The  very  fact  that  sailors  come  from  all  lands  and  go  to  all  lands  is  a 
matter  of  great  interest  in,  this  connection..  Get  the  genuine  leaven 


47 

of  Christianity  into  this  mass,  and  there  is  a  mighty  working  power.  It 
is  felt  at  home  and  abroad,  on  sea  and  on  shore.  The  lowest  and  most 
despised  has  his  circle  of  interests  and  of  influences.  Sanctify  it  and  he 
becomes  powerful.  How  much  more  so  would  it  be  \vhen  those  inter- 
ests and  influences  were  backed  up  by  intelligence  and  by  official  stand- 
ing. These  wide  and  powerful  influences  are  not  always  to  be  lost  to 
the  church.  The  sailor  will  ere  long  acknowledge  the  claims  of  the  Sa- 
viour, he  will  hear  and  heed  the  call,  "  Follow  me  and  I  will  make  you 
fishers  of  men."  And  the  sacrifice  will  not  be  so  great  to  them  as  to 
many  of  us  landsmen,  to  respond  to  that  dying  command  of  the  great 
Redeemer,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature."  For  he  goes  there  already  without  the  commission.  How 
much  more  will  he  go  there  when  his  heart  becomes  fired  with  the  love 
of  christ,  and  he  sees  in  the  Jesus  of  Nazareth  the  dearest  of  friends 
and  the  Saviour  of  his  own  immortal  soul.  His  heart  will  become  an 
altar  of  incense,  and  his  life,  a  perpetual  thank-offering. 

IV.  If  you  want  to*  make  a  safe  passage  and  reach  a  good  port  at 
last,  take  Christ  with  you. 

I  hardly  need  say  more  under  this  head  than  to  assure  you  that  with- 
out taking  Christ,  there  is  no  possibility  of  such  a  result.  "  For  there  is 
none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be 
saved."  That  name  is  Jesus  Christ, 

*'  Dearest  of  all  names  above, 

My  Jesus  and  my  God  ! 
Who  can  resist  thy  heavenly  love, 

Or  trifle  with  thy  blood?" 

You  are  aware  that  it  is  a  law  of  nations  that  no  ship  shall  enter 
port  with  contraband  freight  on  board.  Before  she  can  enter,  that 
freight  must  be  moved,  or  there  is  a  liability  to  capture  and  condemna- 
tion. All  sin  is  contraband  at  the  port  of  heaven,  and  there  is  no 
possibility  of  escaping  detection.  !If  you  were  sure  of  a  chance  to  stop 
somewhere  and  make  a  change,  it  might  be  safe  though  not  very  wise 
to  continue  your  present  course.  But  there  is  no  such  insurance  com- 
pany established.  A  great  many  have  tried  it  and  failed.  There  is  no 
.capital  to  start  with,  so  all  their  policies  have  been  found  useless.  It  is 
well  to  know  this  at  the  outset. 

But  God  has  sent  an  agent,  and  established  a  house  to  attend  to  all 
such  business.  That  agent  is  the  one  I  am  now  recommending  to  your 
consideration.  He  will  take  all  your  contraband  articles  off  your  hands 
and  give  you  the  best  marketable  freight.  And  what  is  very  singular, 
he  charges  nothing  for  his  commission. 

'There  is  one  very  simple  and  very  ressonable  condition  in  the  policy, 
which  must  be  affectionately  subscribed  to  before  he  will  sign  the  pa- 
pers that  will  insure  your  safe  entrance  into  the  port  of  heaven.  I 
hardly  need  tell  you  that  that  condition  is  perfect  loyalty  to  the  Great 
Sovereign.  Give  an  assurance  of  this  and  you  will  get  free  papers,  a 
suufe  passport,  wonderful  to  say,  signed  with  the  blood  of  the  agent. 
Having  this,  your  voyage  may  be  shorter  or  longer,  perilous  .or  other- 
wise, nothing  will  ever  really  harm  you;  blow  high  or  blow  low,  storm 


48 

or  sunshine,  head  winds  or  fair  winds  or  no  winds  at  all,  it  will  be  all 
the  same  at  last,  provided  you  preserve  with  the  strictest  fidelity  your 
loyalty.  In  the  book  of  principles  which  the  great  Sovereign  has  given 
to* teach  us  how  to  be  loyal,  there  is  something  very  encouraging  given 
to  show  that  those  who.  are  beset  with  great  trials  and  peculiar  difficul- 
ties are  treated  with  marked  consideration  by  the  Great  Sovereign 
himself.  Let  me  read  it  to  you  from  the  Book.  Rev.  vii:13 — 17. 

Then  haste,  O  Sailor !  to  be  wise, 

Stay  not  for  the  morrow's  sun  ; 
Wisdom  warns  thee  from  the  skies, 

All  the  paths  of  death  to  shun. 

Haste  and  mercy,  now  implore  : 

Stay  not  for  the  morrow's  sun, 
Thy  probation  may  be  o'er, 

Ere  this  evening's  vrork  isjione. 

•    Haste,  O  Sailor !  now  return  ; 

Stay  not  for  the  morrow's  sun, 
Lest  thy  lamp  should  cease  to  burn 
Ere  salvation's  work  is  done. 

Haste  while  yet  thou  cans't  be  blest 

Stay  not  for  the  morrow's  sun  ; 
Death  may  thy  poor  soul  arrest, 

Ere  the  morrow  is  begun. 


XXIX. 

ONE  MAN  CANNOT  KNOW  EVERYTHING,  YET  MAY  KNOW 
SOME  THINGS. 

On  the  eve  of  our  departure  from  Honolulu  there  was  passed  into, 
our  hands  a  short  note,  which  we  hastily  deposited  in  our  vest  pocket, 
End  did  not  discover  it  until  our  cruise  was  partly  finished.  It  read  after 
this  manner : 

"  Mr.  Damon  will  greatly  oblige  Dr.  Hillebrand,  if  he  will  procure 
and  press  the  leaves  and  grasses  of  the  various  localities,  which  he  is 
about  to  visit  in  Micronesia." 

Whether  we  have  in  the  least  obliged  our  friend  by  the  specimens  of 
plants  and  seeds,  which  we  have  gathered,  is  quite  uncertain,  for  we 
must  confess  our  ignorance  of  botany,  scientifically  speaking,  although 
our  eye  can  discern  beauties  in  the  "lilies  of  the  field."  We  take  a 
sincere  pleasure  in  observing  works  of  nature,  although  we  do  not  pro- 
fess, with  the  votaries  of  the  natural  sciences,  "  to  feast  on  raptures 
ever  new,"  as  they  examine  plants,  shells,  rocks,  corals,  fish,  bugs,  birds, 
animals,  and  the  endless  variety  of  genera  and  species  which  the  God 
of  nature  has  scattered  so  profusely  over  the  islands,  islets,  reefs  and 
rocks,  throughout  the  teeming  waters  of  Micronesia. 

If  we-  ever   coveted   the   mental   powers  of  an  Humboldt,  Agassiz, 


49 

Cuvier,  Buffon,  Lyell,  Hitchcock,  Dana,  Pease  and  Hillebrand,  it  was 
when  rambling  over  the  coral  reefs  of  Apaiang  and  Tarawa,  or  through 
the  forests  of  Ebon  and  Kusaie,  or  canoe-sailing  over  the  shoals  and  la- 
goons of  Ponapi,  or  listening  to  the  chattering  bats  of  Kusaie,  or 
the  parrots  of  Ponapi.  We  saw  fish,  insects,  grubs,  slug,s,  and  polypi 
with  numberless  tentacula,  sufficient  to  have  riveted  the  attention  and 
enraptured  the  soul  of  a  naturalist  for  weeks  and  years.  The  air,  land 
and  water  teem  with  living  creatures  ;  then,  too,  upon  those  coral  reefs, 
our  mental  vision  was  sufficiently  acute  to  discern  some  of  their  mys- 
terious wonders.  How  many  millions  of  those  busy  reel-builders,  we 
must  have  crushed  at  every  step,  for  the  researches  of  an  Ehrenberg 
have  established  the  fact  that  **  nine  millions  of  some  of  these  animal- 
cula  may  live  in  a  space  not  larger  than  a  mustard  seed."  (See  Hitch- 
rock's  "  Keligious  Truth  illustrated  from  Science.")  But  natural  science 
is  not  our  province,  we  can  assert  however  without  fear  of  overstating 
the  truth,  that  there  are  fields  of  natural  history  to  be  explored  in  Mi- 
cronesia, which  will  amply  reward  the  labors  of  the  devotees  of  science 
for  many  years  to  come.  Mr.  Garrett  spent  wTeeks  upon  the  reefs  of 
Apaiang,  and  then  left  them  as  he  asserted,  but  half  explored,  and 
doubtless  ere  this,  Prof.  Agassiz  has  exhibited  Mr.  Garrett's  collections 
to  the  admiring  classes  of  Cambridge  University. 

While  visiting  Tarawa,  we  endeavored  most  faithfully  to  procure  a 
human  skull,  to  enrich  the  collection  of  our  phrenological  and  ethnolo- 
gical friend,  Mr.  Green,  the  Acting  British  Consul  at  Honolulu.  We  vis- 
ited a  very  Golgotha,  where  the  skulls  lay  upon  the  ground  thick  as  leaves 
in  the  vale  of  Vallambrosa,  but  the  King  would  not  allow  us  to  take 
one  away.  The  Kingsmill  Islanders  highly  prize  the  skulls  of  their 
deceased  relatives.  After  death,  they  clean  and  oil  them,  and  then 
carefully  deposit  them  in  their  houses. 

In  our  visits  to  the  different  islands  and  seeing  the  field  of  scientific 
research  spread  out  before  us,  we  felt  how  vastly  important  to  be  able 
to  investigate  the  vegetable,  animal  and  mineral  kingdoms.  A  travel- 
er, by  sea  or  land,  who  would  go  forth  fully  prepared  to  improve  every 
advantage  and  explore  every  object  of  interest,  should  be  qualified, 
with  the  ability  of  the  great  Leibnitz,  "  to  drive  all  the  sciences 
;ibreast."  Who  but  Humboldt  could  do  this? 

Although  we  were  not  able  to  devote  much  time  to  the  collection  of 
specimens  of  natural  history  during  our  brief  sojourn  at  the  various 
mission  stations  where  we  touched,  yet  we  found  our  time  more  than 
occupied,  day  and  night,  in  making  inquiries  respecting  the  genus  ho- 
mo, his  habits,  customs,  practices,  languages,  institutions,  and  govern-, 
meats,  believing  with  Pope,  that  the 

•«  Proper  study  of  mankind  is  man." 

Man,  as  exhibited,  and  as  he  appeared  at  the  four  localities,  at  which 
we  touched,  presents  a  great  diversity  of  physiological,  psychological 
and  theological  points  of  interest. 

This  point  was  a  special  subject  of  inquiry  with  us.     Do  the  heath- 
en, or  men  living  without  the  light  of  revealed  religion,  possess  a  know- 
ledge  of  what  is   morally    right   and  wrong?     From   our    inquiries 
7 


50 

among  the  debased  and  torpid  Kingsmill  Islanders,  the  sharp  and  keen 
Ebonites,  the  calm  and  obsequious  Kusaiens,  and  the  shrewd  and  feast- 
•oving  Ponapians,  we  answer  most  unhesitatingly,  man  without  a  Divine 
Revelation  is  a  morally  accountable  being,  agreeable  to  the  language  of 
the  Apostle  Paul,  in  the  second  chapter  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans, 
wherein  he  says,  "  For  when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not  the  law,  do 
by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these  having  not  the  law,  are 
i  law  unto  themselves,  which  shoiv  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their 
hearts,  their  conscience  also  bearing  witness  and  their  thoughts  the 
meanwhile  accusing  or  else  excusing  one  another."  But  it  may  be 
isked  wherein  does  the  conscience  of  the  heathen  bear  witness  to  what  is 
right  and  wrong  ?  We  answer,  they  know  and  feel  that  it  is  wrong  to 
steal,  to  lie,  to  kill,  to  commit  adultery.  The  heathen  punish  for  such 
crimes,  and  oftentimes  that  punishment  is  most  summary.  The  death- 
penalty  quickly  follows  the  perpetration  of  the  crime.  The  Marshall 
Islanders,  and  the  Kusaiens,  even  now  live  in  dread  of  being  called  to 
account  for  the  ships  they  have  cut  off  and  seamen  they  have  murdered. 
Their  consciences  are  by  no  means  at  rest.  It  is  no  easy  matter  to  ob- 
tain information  upon  those  subjects.  We  were  informed  upon  the  most 
reliable  authority  that  the  chiefs  of  those  islands  would  probably  pun- 
ish with  death  those  of  their  subjects,  whom  they  discovered  revealing 
facts  relating  to  those  massacres.  At  one  time  the  Marshall  Islanders, 
when  a  terrible  storm  was  raging,  thought  they  saw  a  fleet  of  men-of- 
war  in  the  distant  horizon,  coining  down  upon  their  islands,  to  call  them 
to  account.  Did  not  their  consciences  bear  witness?  This  is  a  most 
interesting  subject  in  its  bearing  upon  the  question  of  human  responsi- 
bility, and  we  are  inclined  to  protract  our  remarks  to  an  undue  length. 


XXX. 

KfSAIEN    LANGUAGE. 

The  language  of  the  inhabitants  of  Kusaie,  exhibits  some  very  sin- 
gular linguistical  features.  Before  the  missionaries  landed  upon  the 
island,  the  natives  had  acquired  a  smattering  of  the  English  language. 
This  was  merely  the  result  of  their  intercourse  with  foreigners,  prin- 
cipally with  seamen.  They  were  able  to  employ  intelligently  a  greater 
number  of  English  words  than  those  Hawaiians  who  have  lived  for 
years  in  foreign  families  in  Honolulu.  So  great  was  their  knowledge 
of  English,  that  Mr.  Snow  endeavored  for  nearly  four  years  after  com- 
mencing his  mission  to  preach  in  broken  English,  or'Anglo-Kusaien. 
He  endeavored  to  teach  the  English  in  school,  but  he  finally  aband- 
oned the  experiment,  and  fell  back  upon  the  vernacular  of  the'  natives. 
He  found  it  to  be  exceedingly  difficult  to  communicate  religious 
truths  in  this  mixture  of  Kusaien,  English,  Spanish,  Hawaiian  and 
other  languages.  This  same  difficulty,  we  apprehend,  would  be  still 
more  manifest  if  the  scheme  should  be  generally  undertaken  of  substitut- 
ing the  English  language  for  Hawaiian,  Tahitian  or  Samoan.  We  know 
that  there  are  some  innovators,  who  are  very  sanguine  upon  the  point 
that  you  can  substitute  English  for  Hawaiian,  in  all  of  our  schools 


51 

We  do  not  believe  it  practicable  even  now,  and  much  less  when  the 
missionaries  first  commenced  their  labors  upon  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
To  substitute  our  language  for  another,  among  a  rude  and  uncivilized 
people,  is  no  easy  undertaking.  It  would  approach  an  impossibility  to 
do  it  suddenly,  or  during  a  single  generation.  We  are  not  aware  as  the 
history  of  the  world  presents  any  such  example.  There  are  parts  of 
France,  where  we  are  informed  that  the  old  Celtic  is  spoken  even  now, 
while  Gaelic  is  one  of  the  written  and  spoken  languages  of  the 
British  Islands. 

The  difficulty  attending  the  substitution  of  a  foreign  language  forthe  ver- 
nacular of  a  people,  is  admirably  illustrated  in  the  attempt  of  William  th- 
Conqueror  and  his  successors,  to  supplant  the  good  old  A  nglo-Saxon  by  the 
French.  The  Norman  conquest  of  England  was  accomplished  in  the 
eleventh  century.  William  the  Conqueror  landed  in  England,  A.  D. 
1066.  During  the  three  following  centuries,  no  efforts  were  spared  n 
banish  the  vernacular  of  the  conquered  people,  but  without  success. 
The  French,  it  is  true,  became  the  Court  language,  but  the  farmers, 
mechanics  and  common  people,  retained  their  mother-tongue.  A  simi- 
lar result,  we  are  confident,  will  attend  a  similar  effort  upon  any  of  the 
islands  of  Polynesia.  The  French,  at  Tahiti,  may  teach  a  few  of  the 
islanders  to  speak  a  la  Fran^aise,  and  some  few  of  the  better  educated 
Hawaiians  may  learn  to  speak  English,  but  the  majority,  we  are  confi- 
dent, will  always  speak  "their  own  tongue,  wherein  they  were  born.'' 
We  would  not  assert  that  an  Hawaiian  cannot  acquire  a  correct  knowl- 
edge of  the  English  language,  for  there  are  many  who  have  sur- 
mounted every  obstacle,  and  can  now  correctly  speak  and  write  the 
English  language.  There  are  but  few  if  any  English  and  American 
residents  upon  the  islands,  who  can  speak  and  write  the  English  lan- 
guage with  greater  accuracy  than  his  Majesty,  Kamehameha  IV. 

While  at  Strong's  Island,  we  were  surprised  in  mingling  among  the 
natives  to  find  so  many  of  them  who  were  able  to  speak  in  the  jargon 
which  has  been  thus  introduced..  Their  ability  to  pronounce  some  o" 
the  difficult  sounds  of  the  English  language  was  very  remarkable. 
We  tested  their  ability  by  requesting  a  native  who  had  never  left  the 
island,  to  pronounce  such  words  as  Mississippi,  Missouri,  Shalmanezer 
and  several  other  words  in  which  sibilants  abound.  He  could  do  it, 
with  the  utmost  ease.  We  found  the  Caroline  Islanders  much  more 
readily  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  than  the  in- 
habitants  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  who  find  it  exceedingly  difficult  for 
their  organs  of  speech  to  enunciate  any  words  abounding  with  hissi??g 
sounds. 

Mr.  Snow  is  preparing  a  Grammar  of  the  Kusaien  language,  which 
he  finds  to  possess  many  peculiarities,  which  will  be  interesting  to 
philologists.  It  is  evidently  a  dialect  of  the  same  language  as  spoken 
by  the  Caroline  Islanders  generally,  but  totally  unlike  the  language  of 
Polynesians.  It  is  a  language  abounding  with  words  signifying  def- 
erential respect,  for  those  in  authority,  especially  for  chiefs.  "  Your 
Honor,"  "  Your  Excellency,"  "My  Lord,"  &c.,  &c.,  interlard  the  or- 
dinary conversational  intercourse  of  life.  .An  Hidalgo  from  Old  Spain, 
would  probably  find  the  Kusaiens  fully  equal  to  the  genuine  Castilians 
in  the  punctilios  of  conversation. 


It  was  amusing,  and  rather  suggestive,  to  witness  a  people  living  iu 
filth  and  nakedness,  debased  to  the  very  lowest  degree  in  the  social 
scale,  still  maintaining  a  species  of  refined  intercourse,  and  delicate  re- 
spect for  one  another.  When  they  speak  it  is  in  a  quiet  undertone, 
very  far  removed  from  a  rude,  boisterous  and  hilarious  turn  of  mind. 
They  are  seldom,  if  ever,  known  to  engage  in  insolent  and  angry  dis- 
cussion. When  one  becomes  angry  with  another,  he  does  not  vent  his 
anger  by  outrageous  language  and  violent  blows,  but  quietly  turns 
away,  and  refuses  to  speak  with  the  offending  party!  A  Kusaien  can 
receive  no  greater  insult  than  for  a  neighbor  to  refuse  to  speak  to  him! 
We  asked  Mr.  Snow,  how  a  Kusaien  would  exhibit  his  anger  towards 
a  person  who  had  offended  him  ?  He  replied,  "  by  refusing  to  speak  to 
him."  If  with  us  "  silence  gives  consent,"  with  the  Kusaiens,  "  si- 
lence shows  contempt." 


XXXI. 

KING  GEORGE  OF  KUSAIE. 

Long  before  the  Missionaries  landed  upon  Kusaie,  or  Strong's 
Island,  through  the  reports  of  shipmasters  and  sailors,  we  had  been 
made  acquainted  with  King  George.  He  was  a  very  remarkable  man, 
considering  the  circumstances  of  his  birth  and  education.  Capt.  Jack- 
son, of  the  whale  ship  Inez,  makes  the  following  remarks  respecting 
King  George:  "  The  King  is  a  man  of  good  sense  and  sound  judg- 
ment, possessing  a  large  share  of  Indian  cunning  and  craftiness ;  for  in- 
stance, when  I  talked  with  him  about  their  religion  and  smiled  at  some 
of  their  superstitious  customs,  he  winked  and  said  it  was  the  fashion  of 
Strong's  Island,  giving  me  to  understand  that  he  knew  better."  (See 
Friend,  February,  1849.)  This  man  often  expressed  a  desire  to  have 
missionaries  sent  to  Kusaie,  and  sincerely  deplored  the  sad  effects  of  the 
intercourse  of  his  people  with  persons  of  abandoned  character.  Capt. 
Jackson's  letter  contains  full  particulars  upon  this  subject. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  missionaries  in  1852,  King  George  received 
them  with  open  arms.  The  Kev.  Mr.  Snow  thus  writes  under  date  of 
Oct.  14,  1852:  "  Here  I  am  on  the  much  talked  of  island,  and  Mrs. 
Snow  with  myself  and  one  of  the  Hawaiian  families  are  to  remain 
with  the  far-famed  King  George.  In  the  early  communications  of  the 
missionaries  residing  upon  that  island,  there  is  very  frequent  and  full 
mention  of  this  King.  He  entered  fully  into  the  object  of  the  mission 
and  exerted  his  influence  to  promote  its  success.  He  caused  a  large 
church  to  be  built  and  promoted  the  instruction  of  the  young.  As  we 
have  already  stated,  in  Paper  XXV,  King  George  died  in  Sept.  9th, 
1854,  universally  lamented  by  his  people,  and  in  the  opinion  of  the 
missionary,  a  sincere  believer  in  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ. 

In  furnishing  this  brief  notice  of  King  George  of  Kusaie,  we  are" re- 
minded of  another  King  George,  even  more  remarkable,  and  worthy  to 
be  ranked  among  the  most  distinguished  of  all  the  Kings  who  have 
ever  arisen  and  reigned  in  any  of  the  islands  ot  Polynesia.  We  refer 


m 

to  King  George  the  present  reigning  King  of  Tonga,  one  of  the  Friend- 
ly Islands  of  the  "  South  Seas,"  and  local  preacher  in  the  Wesleyan 
Methodist  Church.  We  are  unable  to  state  his  age,  but  know  that  he 
has  been  King  of  that  island  over  twenty  years.  He  is  known  among  all 
the  South  Sea  Islands  as  a  remarkable  man,  and  wise  ruler,  while  his 
fame  has  extended  abroad  to  other  parts  of  the  world.  Sir  E.  Home, 
commanding  the  British  man-of-war,  Calliope,  thus  refers  to  him  in 
1852  :  "  I  saw  the  noble  and  Christian  conduct  of  King  George.  He 
can  only  be  compared  to  Alfred  the  Great,  of  blessed  memory.  He  is 
worthy  of  being  called  a  King.  He  is  the  greatest  man  in  these  seas." 

"In  November,  Sir  E.  Home  returned  in  the  Calliope  to  the  Friendly 
Isles,  that  he  might  learn  the  result  of  the  visit  of  the  French  ship  ot 
war.  He  seemed  very  anxious  that  no  harm  should  happen 
to  the  Friendly  Islanders  or  the  King.  His  visit  was  an  occasion  of 
much  joy  to  all  parties.  However,  the  French  ship  had  not  arrived. 
But  on  the  12th  of  November,  two  days  after  Sir  E.  Home  left  Tonga, 
the  Moselle  made  her  appearance.  Her  commander,  Captain  Belland, 
was  commissioned  by  the  Popish  governor  of  Tahiti  to  inquire  into 
certain  complaints  lodged  against  King  George  by  the  captain  of  a 
French  whaler,  the  Gustave  of  Havre-de-Grace,  and  also  by  the  Ko- 
mish  priests  residing  in  Tonga.  The  King  obeyed  the  summons  of  the 
captain,  and  went  on  board  the  Moselle,  taking  witth  him  his  state  pa- 
paper  box,  in  which  he  had  copies  of  all  his  correspondence,  especially 
that  with  the  Komish  priesls.  The  correspondence  he  laid  before  the 
captain,  who  viewed  the  King  and  his  papers  with  astonishment.  At 
the  close  of  their  long  interview,  which  lasted  five  hours,  and  through- 
out which  the  King  conducted  himself  with  the  greatest  Christian  pro- 
priety, the  French  captain  expressed  himself  entirely  satisfied,  and 
stated  to  the  King  that  "  the  French  government,  through  him,  ac- 
knowledged George  as  King  of  the  Friendly  Islands ;  and  that  the  only 
condition  he  would  impose  was  that,  if  any  Frenchman  chose  to  reside 
in  his  dominions,  he  should  be  protected,  so  long  as  he  obeyed  the  laws  ; 
and  that  if  any  of  the  king's  subjects  chose  to  become  Roman  Catholics, 
they  should  be  allowed  to  do  so."  To  these  conditions  the  King  agreed, 
and  the  dreaded  French  war  ship  took  her  departure,  the  captain  de- 
claring that  he  "  had  seen  and  conversed  with  many  chiefs  in  the 
South  Seas,  but  that  he  had  not  seen  one  to  be  compared  in  knowledge 
and  ability,  in  courage  and  dignity,  to  George,  the  King  of  the  Friendly 
Islands." — (Cyclopedia  of  Missions.) 

Our  latest  notice  of  King  George  is  in  the  London  Watchman,  of  Au- 
gust 1,  1861.  Dr.  Dobson,  who  had  just  returned  from  Australia,  when 
addressing  the  Wesleyan  Conference,  thus  refers  to  King  George;  "And 
I  have  further  to  add,  that  King  George,  the  Methodist  Local  Preacher 
of  Tonga,  asks  counsel  on  the  law  of  Divorce  in  his  dominions."  From 
this  brief  allusion,  we  learn  that  he  is  still  alive  and  laboriously  en- 
gaged in  adjusting  the  civil  and  religious  statutes  of  Tonga.  When  we 
know  what  Christianity  hns  done  for  some  of  the  chiefs  and  rulers  of 
the  Polynesian  Islands,  we  cannot  but  express  our  regrets  that  the  gos- 
pel should  not  have  been  made  known  among  them  until  the  19th 
century, 


54 
XXXII. 

A  GLANCE  AT  THE   CAROLINE  ISLANDS. 

Most  of  the  islands  or  islets  of  this  extensive  range  or  Archipelago, 
are  quite  too  small  to  find  a  place  in  any  School  Atlas,  or  even  those 
maps  which  purport  to  embrace  all  the  islands  of  the  Pacific.  The 
Caroline  Archipelago  is  made  up  of  no  less  than  forty-eight  small  groups, 
and  these  groups  contain  nearly  five  hundred  small  islands.  Of  these 
five  hundred  islands,  at  most,  there  are  but  four  or  five  high  islands, 
hence  this  Archipelago  contains  nearly  five  hundred  small  coralline 
islets.  The  Russian  navigator  Lutke,  makes  the  following  significant 
remarks  respecting  these  islands  :  "  With  the  exception  of  the  high 
Islands  of  Ualan,  Ponapi,  and  Koug,  if  they  were  all  collected  together, 
and  then  placed  above  the  spire  of  the  fortress  of  Petropauloski,  they 
would  not  hardly  cover  all  St.  Petersburgh  and  its  suburbs.  The  length 
of  all  the  islands  joined  together  (I  do  not  mean  the  reefs)  would  be 
25  German  miles ;  the  breadth  of  but  very  few  of  them  exceeds  200 
yards,  and  half  of  them  are  beneath  this  measurement." 

It  was  our  privilege  to  visit  but  two  islands  of  this  Archipelago,  viz: 
Ualan,  Kusaie,  or  Strong's  Island,  and  Ascension,  or  Ponapi.  Both  of 
these  are  high  islands.  They  are  basaltic  in  their  formation.  From 
their  productions,  situation  and  good  harbors,  they  have  been  much 
frequented  by  ships.  They  are  the  only  islands  upon  which  mission- 
aries have  become  located.  Missions  were  established  upon  both  Ualan 
and  Ponapi,  in  1852,  when  the  schooner  Caroline  made  the  first  Mis- 
sionary voyage  to  that  portion  of  the  Pacific. 

Some  of  the  Caroline  Islands  were  discovered  by  the  Spaniards  in 
the  16th  and  17th  centuries.  It  is  chiefly  due  to  the  Russian  and 
French  navigators,  that  we  are  indebted  for  surveys  of  these  islands. 
Capt.  Duperrey,  in  the  French  ship  La  Coquette,  in  1823,  and  Rear- 
Admiral  Lutke,  of  the  La  Seniavine,  thoroughly  explored  and  surveyed 
some  of  these  islands,  including  Ualan  and  Ponapi. 


XXX1IL 

ISLAND  OF  PONAPI,  OR  ASCENSION. 

Two  days  after  leaving  Strong's  Island,  we  caught  a  glimse  of  Po- 
napi,  but  did  not  come  to  anchor  until  the  next  morning,  June  23d. 
The  Morning  Star  remained  at  anchor  in  the  middle  harbor,  eleven 
days.  During  this  period,  it  was  our  privilege  to  twice  visit  each  of 
the  Mission  Stations  at  Kiti,  (Rev.  Mr.  Sturges')  and  Shalong,  (Rev. 
Mr.  Roberts'.)  By  day  and  night,  we  cruised  over  the  reefs,  visited 
places  of  interest,  and  explored  the  far-famed  ruins. 

This  island  produces  abundantly,  yams,  bread  fruit,  bananas,  pine 
apples,  squashes,  sago,  cocoanuts,  arrow-root,  sweet  potatoes,  and  many 
other  tropical  productions.  It  is  densely  wooded  and  produces  several 
varieties  of  excellent  ship  timber.  We  met  at  the  island  Capt,  Newald  of 
Boston,  who  was  building  a  schooner  of  about  60  tons.  He  spoke  of 


the  ship-timber  as  of  a  most  excellent  quality.  One  species  he  called 
Bermuda  Cedar,  which  is  highly  prized  by  the  shipbuilders  of  Eng- 
land, and  another  species,  much  resembling  the  Yatti  of  Java,  which 
is  much  prized  in  the  East  Indies.  This  island  is  well  adapted 
to  the  cultivation  of  rice  and  sugar  cane.  It  is  the  largest  island  of 
the  Caroline  Archipelago,  being  about  fifty  miles  in  circumference.  It 
is  surrounded  by  an  extensive  barrier  reef,  over  which  the  surf  breaks, 
three,  six,  eight  and  ten  miles  from  the  main  land. 

The  forests  abound  with  various  tropical  birds,  including  pigeon?, 
parrots  and  a  great  variety  of  beautiful  songsters.  We  have  not  heard 
such  forest  music  for  many  years,  as  greeted  our  ears  at  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Sturges'  Station.  The  sea  abounds  with  a  great  variety  of  fish,  and 
the  reefs  are  peopled  by  an  endless  diversity  of  rnollusks  and  shell  fish. 
We  do  not  believe  any  island  of  this  vast  ocean  presents  a  more  inter- 
esting field  of  exploration,  for  the  botanist,  conchologist,  entomologist, 
or  the  adept  in  any  department  of  the  natural  sciences. 


XXXIV. 

NIGHT  OF  TOIL  AT  PONAP1. 

"  Twice  fifty  months  in  slow  succession  fled, 
By  faithful  hands  the  gospel  lamp  was  fed  : 
Fervent  in  zeal,  their  labors  knew  no  pause, 
Yet  still  no  wakening  convert  blessed  the  cause." 

Elliot,  the  apostle  to  the  Indians  of  New  England,  preached  his  first 
sermon  among  them  in  1646,  but  gathered  no  church  until  1660.  Long 
was  that  night  of  toil  and  season  of  trial.  The  pioneer  missionaries  to 
the  "South  Seas,"  labored  for  nearly  twenty  years,  before  the  light  of 
morning  broke  upon  their  night  of  trial.  At  the  end  of  sixteen  years,  a 
few  converts  were  gathered,  sufficient  to  occasion  the  remark,  "In  that 
cue  year  they  reaped  the  harvest  of  sixteen  laborious  seed-times,  sixteen 
dreary  and  anxious  winters,  and  sixteen  unproductive  summers."  The 
first  baptism,  however,  was  not  administered  at  Tahiti  until  1819,  twenty 
two  years  after  the  missionaries  landed  from  the  ship  Duf.  That  was 
indeed  a  long  night  of  toil,  and  long  trial  of  the  strength  of  the  mis- 
sionary's faith.  The  English  Missionaries  in  New  Zealand,  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  labored  and  toiled  for  a 
period  of  nine  years,  before  they  were  permitted  to  administer  the  rite  of 
baptism  to  their  first  converts,  and  at  the  end  of  twenty  years  the  mission- 
ries  reported  but  eight  baptized  converts.  During  subsequent  years 
the  spread  of  Christianity  was  exceedingly  rapid,  for  from  1839  to  1849, 
in  one  district,  the  number  of  baptisms  leached  2,893. 

The  American  missionaries  on  the  island  of  Ponapi  or  Ascension, 
have  been  called  to  pass  through  a  similar  night  of  toil,  and  season  of 
trial,  although  not  so  long.  Messrs.  Sturges  and  Gulick  landed  there  in. 
1852,  but  it  was  not  until  within  the  past  year  that  a  church  has  been 
organized:  ^ 

•*•*  Twice  fifty  months,  5a  slow  succesion  fled, 
By  faithful  hands  the  gospel  lamp  wa3  fed," 


56 

before  they  were  permitted  to  welcome  converts  from  among  the  Poua- 
pians,  around  the  sacramental  table,  and  administer  the  rite  of  baptism. 
That  privilege  was  granted  the  Kev.  Mr.  Sturges,  last  autumn,  when 
he  organized  a  church  at  Konokiti,  and  another  at  Shalong.  The  for- 
mer now  numbers  twelve  members,  (as  many  as  our  Saviour  gathered 
around  him,  at  the  end  of  his  evenful  life,)  and  the  latter  numbers  six 
members,  all  of  whom  are  now  walking  circumspectly,  while  a  few  oth- 
ers are  affording  the  gratifying  evidences  that  their  hearts  have  been 
savingly  wrought  upon,  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  A  spirit- 
ual work  has  unquestionably  been  commenced  among  the  Ponapians. 
The  missionary's  heart  has  been  made  glad,  and  doubtless  angels  have 
rejoiced  over  the  conversion  of  more  than  one  sinner  among  that  dark 
hearted  and  superstitious  race.  It  remains  to  be  seen,  whether  the  good 
work  shall  progress.  It  will  not  surprise  us  to  learn  that  this  work  is 
opposed  by  the  chiefs  and  many  of  the  people.  Symptoms  of  opposi- 
tion and  annoyance  have  already  been  manifested.  Some  of  these  oc- 
curred about  the  time  of  our  visit.  There  was  a  state  of  things  among 
the  Ponapians,  strikingly  illustrative  of  the  following  philosophic  re- 
mark of  one  of  the  English  missionaries  laboring  in  the  "  South  Seas." 
'•  It  is  found  in  the  history  of  missions,  that  the  most  severe  trials  do 
not  generally  occur  till  the  gospel  begins  to  take  effect.  So  long  as  all 
remains  in  the  stillness  of  spiritual  death,  the  missionary  is  generally 
permitted  to  carry  on  his  work  with  comparatively  little  molestation  ; 
but  when  the  power  of  divine  truth  begins  to  be  felt  on  the  heart,  and 
decided  symptoms  of  spiritual  life  show  themselves,  then  it  is  found 
that  the  Lord  of  missions  did  not  say  in  vain,  '  Suppose  ye  that  I  am 
come  to  give  peace  on  earth :  1  tell  you  nay,  but  rather  division.'  " 
These  remarks  were  originally  written  with  reference  to  the  progress  of 
the  missionary  work  on  Aneiteum,  one  of  the  New  Hebrides,  but  they 
may  yet  apply  with  force  to  the  work  of  missions  in  the  North  Pacific. 
The  friends  of  missions  must  not  be  surprised  if  such  is  the  fact.  (See 
Cyclopedia  of  Missions,  page  712.) 

"it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  review  the  progress  of  the  mission 
upon  Ponapi,  or  Ascension,  and  see  if  causes  have  not  been  operating 
to  produce  a  state  of  things  indicated  in  the  foregoing  paragraphs. 

Spanish  navigators  may  have  touched  at  Ponapi,  as  early  as  the 
close  of  the  16th  century,  but  the  island  could  not  have  been  said  to  be 
discovered  and  explored  until  1828,  when  visited  by  Lutke,  of  the 
KussianCorvetle,  La  Seniamne.  (See  Dr.  Gulick's  third  Lecture.)  From 
that  time  to  the  present,  the  island  has  been  repeatedly  visited,  and  be- 
come the  resort  of  whaleships.  The  inhabitants  of  Ponapi,  from  read- 
ing and  observation,  we  should  infer  were  of  the  Chinese  and  Malay 
races  intermingled,  having  scarcely  any  physiological  or  mental  char- 
acteristics in  common  with  the  Polynesian  races.  Intellectually  we  be-, 
lieve  them  to  have  been  decidedly  superior  to  Hawaiians  or  any  Poly- 
nesian race  which  we  have  seen.  Dr.  Gulick  remarks,  in  regard  to  them, 
that  "  their  minds  are  extremely  inclined  to  suspiciousness  and  dis- 
pleasure, but  there  seems  to  be  no  basis  for  the  darker  shades  of  sullen 
moroleness.  *  *  The. Malayan  trait  of  deception  is  carried  on  as  far 
as  their  loose  characters  permit/' 


57 

They  are  divided  into  live  tribes,  the  metes  and  bounds  of  which,  are 
distinctly  defined.  Each  tribe  has  its  King  and  Chiefs,  high  and  low. 
Among  these  tribes  there  is  a  deep  rooted  jealousy.  Although  the 
census  of  the  island  would  n>t  now  number  over  five  or  six  thousand, 
still  the  tribal  laws  are  perpetuated,  and  so  far  as  intercourse  is  main- 
tained among  the  chiefs,  much  stately  formality  is  observed,  as  appears 
in  their  feasts.  There  is  no  metropolitan  or  central  government, — no 
London,  or  Paiis,  or  Washington.  From  all  we  could  learn,  therein 
no  tendency  to  union,  but  each  tribe,  and  the  rulers  of  each  tribe  choose 
to  remain  separate  and  distinct.  We  are  not  sure  but  the  lines  of 
the  English  poet  will  be  found  true  when  applied  to  Ponapians  : 

"  Mountains  interposed, 

Make  enemies  of  nations,  who  had  else, 
Like  kindred  drops,  been  mingled  into  one." 

The  Ponapians  do  not  even  congregate  in  villages,  but  their  houses 
are  scattered,  here  and  there,  along  the  shores  or  through  the  forests, 
and  around  the  bays.  There  existing  several  good  harbors  upon  the  island . 
ships  have  resorted  thither  for  trading  and  obtaining  supplies.  From 
1S28  to  1852,  vicious  indulgences  and  immoral  practices  were  carried 
on  between  the  natives  and  low  foreigners,  with  no  one  to  utter  a  rebuke 
or  interpose  a  remonstrance.  Ascension  became  emphatically  the 
••Paradise  of  beach-combers,  alias  escapes  from  Sydney,  and  runaway 
Bailors."  The  influence  of  this  class  of  persons  among  the  people,  was 
evil  and  only  evil,  and  that  continually.  While  visiting  the  Ronokiti 
Station,  we  called  upon  an  old  man,  who  had  lived  upon  the  island 
since  1832,  or  nearly  thirty  years.  He  was  sick  and  approaching  the 
end  of  life.  We  visited  the  poor  old  man  three  times,  and  conversed 
with  him  freely  about  the  past.  When  asked,  "  What  could  have  led 
you  to  settle  among  this  people  and  live  so  long  here  ?"  his  reply  was, 
<;to  lead  a  life  of  laziness,  drunkenness,  debauchery  and  licentiousness." 
This  answer  told  the  whole  story,  and  revealed  the  character  of  scores 
who  have  found  a  home  upon  Ascension.  All  the  vices  of  civilization 
were  rife  there,  so  far  as  foreigner?  could  introduce  them  among  a  de- 
graded and  heathen  people.  It  was  considered  dangerous  for  ships  to 
touch  at  some  of  the  harbors. 

Among  such  a  people,  and  living  under  such  influences,  the  Ameri- 
can Mission  was  established  in  1852.  Hardly  had  the  work  been  com- 
menced, when,  in  1854,  the  small  pox  appeared  and  not  merely  deci- 
mated the  inhabitants  as  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  but  actually  took 
every  other  man,  woman  and  child,  reducing  the  population  more  than 
one-half.  It  will  readily  be  seen  that  the  two  missionaries,  Messrs.  Stur- 
ges  and  Gulick,  commenced  their  work  under  circumstances  as  unpro- 
pitious  and  unfavorable  as  it  is  possible  to  conceive.  The  nation  wa^ 
reduced  to  its  lowest  state.  This  generation  had  inherited  the  terrible 
egacy  of  by-gone  generations  of  superstition,  vice  and  crime,  to  which 
was  superadded  a  vast  influx  of  foreign  immoralities  and  vices,  upheld 
*fid  practiced  by  men  devoid  of  shame,  and  impelled  forward  by  the 
spirit  of  evil.  If  Christianity  triumphs  over  so  many  counter  influ 
?nces,  it  must  be  the  work  of  time,  and  the  youthful  soldiers  of  the 
8 


58 

cross  need  not  be  surprised  if  they  are  called  upon  to  pray,  watch  and 
labor,  through  a  long  "night  of  toil."  Blessed  be  God,  there  are  indica- 
tions,' that  that  "  night  of  toil  is  drawing  to  a  close."  There  are  indi- 
cations of  a  dawning  light.  The  Morning  Star,  has  appeared,  and  it 
.3  to  be  hoped  the  Sun  of  righteousness  will  ere  long  make  his  appear- 
ance. It  has  been  our  privilege  to  visit  that  spot,  where  the  elements 
of  light  and  darkness  are  now  struggling  for  the  mastery.  Our  inquiry 

W33, 

"  Watchman  !  tell  us  of  the  night, 
What  its  signs  of  promise  are  ?" 
We  heard  the  reply, 

"Traveler  !  o'er  yon  mountain's  height, 
See  that  glory-beaming  Star." 

We  asked  again, 

"  Watchman  !  does  its  beauteous  ray 
Aught  of  hope  or  joy  fortell  ?" 

The  cheering  answer  came, 

"  Traveler,    yes  : — it  brings  the  day, — 
Promised  day  to  Israel." 


XXXV. 

HEATHEN    DEGRADATION    INDICATED  BY  THEIR   LAN- 
GUAGE. 

It  is  the  remark  of  an  eminent  English  writer,  "  To  study  a  people's 
language  will  be  to  study  them,  and  to  study  them  at  best  advantage, 
when  they  present  themselves  to  us  under  fewest  disguises,  most  nearly 
as  they  are."  The  truth  of  this  remark  is  as  applicable  to  the  study 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Polynesia  as  to  the  polished  nations  of  Europe, 
In  our  efforts  to  arrive  at  a  tolerably  correct  view  of  Micronesians,  we 
round  no  better  method,  than  to  sit  down  with  the  missionaries, 
r.nd  question  them  upon  their  success  in  communicating  with  their  peo 
;le  upon  religious  subjects.  It  is  a  comparatively  easy  matter  to  pick 
up  a  few  words  and  phrases,  sufficient  to  barter  in  knives,  fish  hooks, 
and  cloth.  The  trader  may  do  this,  in  a  few  hours,  but  it  is  a  very 
different  affair  to  take  up  a  grammatical  and  accurate  study  of  their 
Languages,  so  that  the  missionary  may  be  able  to  translate  the  Bible, 
compile  school  books,  and  compose  hymns.  This  however  is  the 
missionary's  principal  work,  but  it  is  a  work  which  yields  a  large  re- 
ward. It  introduces  him  to  the  very  heart  of  the  people.  He  sees 
their  naked  bodies  with  his  eyes,  but  the  study  of  their  languages  en- 
ables him  to  see  their  moral  and  spiritual  nakedness  and  deformity. 
Their  departure  from  God  may  be  estimated  by  their  language,  agree- 
able to  the  words  of  our  Saviour:  "  But  those  things  which  proceed  out 
of  the  mouth  come  forth  from  the  heart;  and  these  defile  the  man." 
Math.  15:18.  "  How  can  ye,  being  evil,  speak  good  things,  for  out  of 


59 

the  abundance  of  the  lieart  the  mouth  speaketh."  Matt.  12:34.  A 
people's  language  must  indicate  their  moral  character.  The  missionary 
becoming  intimately  acquainted  with  the  language  of  the  heathen,  ^ 
able  to  judge,  as  no  other  person  can,  not  acquainted  with  their  lan- 
guage, respecting  the  moral  degradation  of  the  heathen.  While  the 
languages  of  Micronesia  and  other  heathen  nations  or  tribes  are  des- 
titute of  words  and  phrases  to  convey  correct  ideas  of  God  and  mora; 
subjects  generally,  yet  those  same  languages  abound  with  words  and 
terms  respecting  disgusting  subjects  and  forbidden  thoughts.  Their  vo- 
cabularies are  wonderfully  prolific  in  unchaste  and  impure  words  and 
terms.  How  painfully  the  mind  of  the  missionary  is  tried,  when  he 
would  translate  the  Bible  into  the  language  of  the  heathen.  He  finds 
that  their  languages  are  wanting  in  the  words  and  terms  required  for 
translation.  These  languages  may  once  have  possessed  those  necessary 
sounds  and  terms,  but  alas,  so  far  have  the  heathen  wandered  from  th* 
right  way,  and  so  grievously  have  they  departed  from  God,  that  they 
have  lost  correct  ideas  of  the  Divine  Being  and  his  worship.  Hence, 
the  missionary  must  spend  toilsome  days  and  sleepless  nights,  in  hiic 
search  after  the  proper  terms,  words  and  phrases  to  express  religion 
truths.  We  found  every  missionary  in  Micronesia,  eager  in  the  study 
of  the  language  of  those  islanders,  where  they  are  located,  because 
there  are  now  four  American  Missionaries  in  Micronesia,  and  each  one 
is  endeavoring  to  acquire  the  knowledge  of  what  may  be  classified  as 
a  new  language,  for  the  inhabitants  of  Apaiang,  Ebon,  Kusaie,  and 
Ponapi,  speak  really  different  languages,  rather  than  different  dialects  of 
the  same  language. 

The  difficulty  attending  these  labors  of  the  missionary,  is  often 
very  great.  He  will  spend  months  and  even  years  before  he  is  able  to 
fix  upon  some  word  that  will  correspond  to  ttie  Bible  idea  which  he 
wishes  to  convey.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Sturges,  although  nine  years  amom: 
the  Ponapians,  has  not  yet  settled  upon  the  proper  and  satisfactory  word 
for  conscience,  in  the  Ponapian  language.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Doane,  al- 
though speaking  the  language  of  the  Marshall  Islanders  with  fluency, 
after  a  residence  of  four  years  upon  Ebon,  has  not  yet  been  able  to 
ascertain  if  there  is  any  word  in  that  language  which  correctly  conveys 
the  idea  of  regeneration  or  the  new  birth.  Mr.  Sturges  has  been  equal- 
ly perplexed  respecting  the  same  word,  but  more  recently,  he  hopes, 
that  he  has  met  with  a  term  that  conveys  the  idea,  viz  :  wttikap  ate. 
Wili  signifiying  exchange,  Kap  new,  and  Ata  the  directive.  We  asked 
him  to  inform  us  what  a  Ponapian  understood  by  this  term  "Wilikap 
ata."  He  replied,  that  a  native  once  illustrated  the  term  thus, — "  A 
person  born  anew  or  again,  is  the  same  as  if  a  shriveled  and  decrepit 
old  woman  should  suddenly  become  young  again." 

Thus  the  missionaries  in  Micronesia,  are  laboring  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  apostles  did,  respecting  whom  an  English  divine  has  re- 
marked, that  they  t;  fetched  from  the  dregs  of  paganism,  words  which 
the  Holy  Spirit  has  not  refused  to  employ  for  the  setting  forth  of  the 
great  truths  of  our  redemption."  The  Greek  word  translated  "  regen- 
eration," is  a  good  illustration  of  this  remark.  This  word,  it  was 
necessary,  however,  to  convert  from  paganism  to  Christianity — to 


60 

f  cangelize  it,  if  the  term  may  be  allowed  !  Long  has  Mr.  Doane  been 
laboring  to  fix  upon  some  word  to  signify  repentance  ;  but  we  need  not 
produce  other  instances,  for  they  have  been  continually  occurring  in  the 
studies  of  every  missionary  not  only  in  Micronesia  and  Hawaii,  but 
every  part  of  the  heathen  world  where  missionaries  have  gone.  How 
little. the  unreflecting  visitor  can  sympathize  with  the  missionary  in  his 
labors  and  to*ls  or  pilikias,  to  employ  a  term  of  Hawaiian  derivation 
rapidly  gaining  currency  among  foreigners  in  the  Pacific,  and  which 
ere  long  may  take  its  position  beside  Tabu,  in  Webster  and  Worcester. 
Viewing  the  labors  of  the  missionary  from  this  point  of  observation,  he 
takes  a  position  among  the  scholars  and  linguists  of  the  world.  Enter 
his  sanctum,  and  you  see  spread  out  upon  his  table,  lexicons,  diction- 
aries, books  of  exegesis,  manuscripts,  Greek  Testament,  and  by  his  side 
sits  a  native,  who  is  continually  plied  with  questions  respecting  the 
meaning  of  words  and  sounds  of  letters,  and  it  would  not  be  strange  if 
the  missionary's  wife  was  called  from  her  domestic  duties  in  the 
nursery  or  kitchen  to  give  her  opinion  upon  the  meaning  of  some  word 
or  phrase  !  Thus  the  missionary  is  employed  in  digging  up  Greek  roots, 
examining  Hebrew  points,  comparing  English  and  German  dictionaries, 
looking  into  numerous  commentaries,  and  gathering  information  from 
every  imaginable  source,  in  order  to  translate  the  "  Glorious  gospel  of 
the  blessed  God  "  into  the  language  of  the  heathen  to  whom  he  has  been 
sent.  The  eminent  Dr.  Judson,  often  lamented  his  want  of  books, 
dictionaries  and  other  aids,  in  the  work  of  translation.  On  one  occa- 
sion, in  writing  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in 
Boston,  he  thus  remarks :  "I  frequently  see  a  sterling  work  on  the  cover 
of  the  Herald  or  Magazine,  and  am  ready  to  scream  with  variations 
•  The  Book,  the  Book,  my  kingdom  for  a  Book!'  Yes,  a  kingdom,  ii 
the  same  ship  which  brought  the  notice  had  brought  the  book  too ; 
whereas  I  have  to  wait  for  letters  to  cross  the  ocean  twice  or  three 
times  at  least,  and  thus  two  or  three  years'  use  of  the  book  is  lost,  du- 
ring which  time  I  am,  perhaps,  working  upon  that  very  portion  of  scrip- 
ture which  that  book  is  intended  to  illustrate." 

Who  will  not  say  that  the  missionary's  life  is  a  noble  one,  when 
thus  employed?  He  is  following  in  the  foot-steps  of  Wickliffe, 
Tyndale  and  that  glorious  company  of  biblical  scholars  of  the  17th 
century,  who  furnished  our  incomparable  English  version  of  the  Bible. 
Thus  Elliot  toiled,  and  his  translation  of  the  Bible  into  the  language 
of  the  Indians  of  Massachusetts,  is  a  noble  monument  to  his  memory. 
Thus  Judson  toiled,  and  after  forty  years,  gave  the  Bible  in  the  ver- 
nacular to  the  Burmese.  Thus  we  found  the  missionaries  in  Micro- 
nesia at  their  work.  Toil  on,  Brethren  !  Our  visit  may  not  have  ben- 
efited you,  but  it  did  us  good.  You  are  doing  a  good  and  noble  work. 
If  language  is  "  the  amber  in  which  a  thousand  precious  and  subtle 
thoughts  have  been  embedded  and  preserved,"  you  are  embedding 
heavenly  and  divine  truths  in  the  languages  of  Micronesia,  which  will 
be  preserved  long  after  your  labors  have  ceased,  and  continue  to  guide 
immortal  souls  in  the  pathway  toward  heaven  ! 

The    following  paragraph  from  a  lecture  of   Prof.    Trench,  King's 
-College,  London,  will  show  that  Catholic  Missionaries,  in    South  Amer- 


61 

ica,  meet  with  the    same  leading   facts    among   the  heathen,  that  \vf. 
have  referred  to  in  the  labors  of  Protestants. 

"  Dobrizhoffer,  the  Jesuit  Missionary,  in  his  curious  History  of  the 
Abipones,  tells  us  that  neither  they  nor  the  Guarinnies,  two  of  the  prin- 
cipal native  tribes  of  Brazil,  with  whose  language  he  was  intimately 
acquainted,  possessed  any  word  which  in  the  least  corresponded  to  our 
1  Thanks.'  But  what  wonder  if  the  feeling  of  gratitude  was  entirely 
absent  from  their  hearts,  that  they  should  not  have  possessed  the  cor- 
responding word  in  their  vocabularies  ?  Nay,  how  should  they  have 
had  it  there  ?  And  that  this  is  the  true  explanation,  is  plain  from  a  fact 
which  the  tame  writer  records,  that  although  inveterate  askers,  they 
never  showed  the  slightest  sense  of  obligation,  or  of  gratitude,  when 
they  obtained  what  they  sought;  never  saying  more  than,  'This  will 
be  useful  to  me,'  or  4  This  is  what  I  wanted.' "  We  would  merely 
add,  that  similar  remarks  have  we  heard  again  and  again  from  Protes- 
tant Missionaries  in  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  Micronesia. 


XXXVI. 

HONESTY  IS  THE    BEST  POLICY  ;    OR    DISHONESTY    THE 
WORST  POLICY. 

This  oft-quoted  old  English  proverb,  finds  facts  in  abundance  to  cor- 
roborate its  truth.  It  is  not  only  true  when  applied  to  the  dealings  of 
men  in  civilized  and  Christian  lands,  but  to  the  dealings  of  those  from 
civilized  and  Christian  lands  who  go  among  savages  for  the  purposes  of 
barter  and  trade.  In  our  intercourse  among  the  inhabitants  of  Micro- 
nesia, this  fact  vyas  painfully  impressed  upon  us,  by  too  many  sad  ex- 
amples of  injustice  and  dishonesty,  that  honesty  and  fair  dealing  has 
not  been  the  rule  which  has  guided  the  civilized  man  in  his  traffic  and 
dealings  with  the  savage.  Instances  of  well  attested  fraud  and  mean- 
ness, are  commonly  reported  in  those  regions,  which  if  brought  before  a 
jury  of  twelve  honest  men,  would  send  the  perpetrators  to  the  State 
prison,  or  transport  them  to  the  penal  colonies  of  Australia.  Take  the 
following  as  an  example:  a  certain  shipmaster  in  his  dealings  with  the 
natives  of  the  Marshall  Islands,  agreed  to  pay  a  certain  amount  of  to- 
bacco, but  what  does  he  give  in  its  place  ? — pieces  of  old  tarred  rope,  cut 
up  to  correspond  to  the  length  of  plugs  of  tobacco  !  That  man  may  have 
thought  he  had  done  a  smart  thing,  and  drove  a  profitable  trade,  but 
only  think  of  the  meanness  and  guilt  of  the  infamous  transaction. 
Hanging  with  a  piece  of  tarred  rope,  would  be  too  lenient  a  punish- 
ment for  such  guilty  meanness.  Think  of  the  enmity  which  one  such 
act  would  excite  and  keep  alive  among  those  savages  !  No  wonder 
their  policy  has  been  one  of  blood  and  murder  towards  the  white  man. 

Take  another  example.  The  inhabitants  of  Ebon,  one  of  the  Mar- 
shall Islands  cut  off  a  California  schooner  in  1852.  Among  the  spoils, 
they  found  gold.  It  can  be  proved  that  it  was  not  the  chiefs,  but 
some  of  the  common  people,  who  committed  this  act  of  piracy.  The 
chiefs  however  took  the  money.  A  certain  ship  master  touches  at  Eb- 
on, and  finds  this  gold  among  the  people.  He  obtains  several  hundred 


62 

dollars  in  gold,  and  promises  to  piv  in  tobacco,  but  getting  the  gold 
into  his  possession,  makes  sail  and  leaves  the  island.  He  doubtless 
reasons,  those  islanders  are  pirates  and  robbers ;  they  have  no 
right  to  this  money !  But  what  right  had  that  shipmaster  ?  Had  he 
any  better  claim  than  that  of  a  robber  and  a  pirate  ?  If  that  shipmas- 
ter was  an  Englishman  or  American,  we  ask  him  to  ponder  this  proverb, 
"  The  receiver  is  as  bad  as  the  thief"  If  he  was  a  Frenchman,  let  him 
ponder  a  proverb  to  be  found  in  his  language,  which  translated  into 
English,  reads  thus  :  "  He  sins  as  much  icho  holds  a  sack,  as  he  who  puts 
into  it." 

Respecting  another  shipmaster,  who  formerly  cruised  in  that  region 
and  took  away  from  Ebon  some  of  the  gold  referred  to,  we  would  re- 
mark that  he  came  to  a  most  untimely  fate.  A  correspondent  of  the 

Friend  thus  wrote  from  Ascension,  Feb.  19,  1853:     "  Captain ,  of 

the  William  Penn  received,  it  is  said,  over  a  thousand  dollars.  It  was 
for  this  money  one  of  his  crew,  an  Oahu  native  killed  him.  That 
native  has  since  been  killed  on  Simpson's  Island,  by  one,  it  is  said, 
whom  he  himself  was  about  to  shoot.  Thus  do  the  dead  bury  their 
dead,  and  murderers  execute  murderers/'  (See  Friend  for  July,  1853.) 

We  might  multiply  examples,  almost  without  end,  of  the  base  tricks 
and  little  meannesses,  dishonest  bargains  and  dishonorable  dealings  of 
the  white  man  with  the  savage  or  the  inhabitants  of  Micronesia.  Per- 
haps no  islanders  have  ever  fared  worse,  at  the  hands  of  the  white  man, 
than  the  New  Zealanders,  at  the  hands  of  Sydney  traders  and  whalers. 
\Ve  quote  the  following  from  an  English  book,  entitled  "  The  South- 
ern Cross  and  Southern  Crown,  or  the  Gospel  in  New  Zealand  :" 

"  A  little  incident  occurred  one  day  when  dining  with  a  large 
party  at  Government  House.  [Sydney  in  1806,]  showing  Tippahee's 
shrewdness  of  observation,  and  courage  in  expressing  his  opinion. 
[Tippahee  was  a  New  Zealand  chief,  who  was  visiting  Port 
Jackson,  Sydney.]  A  discussion  arose  as  to  our  penal  code : 
he  could  not  reconcile  our  punishment  of  theft,  with  his  own  sense  of 
justice,  maintaining  that  stealing  food  when  rerhaps  the  chief  was 
hungry,  ought  not  to  be  severely  punished.  He  was  told  in  reply,  that 
according  to  English  law  every  man  who  took  the  property  of  another 
was  liable  to  be  put  to  death.  l  Then,'  exclaimed  he,  with  animation, 

addressing  the  Governor,  *  why  do  you  not  hang  Captain ,  [pointing 

to  a  gentleman  then  at  the  table.]     Captain,  he  came  to  New  Zealand, 

he  come  ashore  and  tiki  (steal)  my  potatoes  ;  you  hang  Captain .' 

The  captain  was  covered  with  confusion,  for  the  charge  was  true  ;  he 
had,  when  off  the  coast  and  in  want  of  potatoes,  sent  a  boat's  crew  on 
shore,  dug  up  Tippahee's  plantation  and  carried  off  the  the  produce 
without  offering  him  the  slightest  remuneration."  Would  that  this 
was  the  only  similar  instance  which  might  be  quoted.  How  many 
such  instances  have  tended  to  rouse  the  enmity  of  New  Zealanders,  and 
it  may  be  true,  that  could  the  full  history  of  the  intercourse  of  English- 
men with  the  New  Zealanders,  be  written  out,  it  would  be  found  that  in- 
stances of  wrong  and  injustice  occurring  a  half  century  ago,  were  so 
burnt  into  the  souls  of  the  New  Zealanders,  that  they  are  remotely  the 
cause  of  that  relentless  war  now  raging  between  New  Zealanders  and 


63 

English  soldiers.  We  now  recall  to  mind  the  .story  of  an  Englishman, 
from  New  Zealand,  related  in  our  hearing  some  years  ago.  In  a  for- 
mer war,  the  seat  of  which  was  the  Bay  of  Islands,  the  natives  were 
off  their  guard  and  unprepared  for  an  attack,  because  it  was  the  Chris- 
tian Sabbath !  They  were  told  that  Christian  soldiers  would  not  make 
an  attack  upon  that  day !  Alas,  that  was  the  day  when  they  rushed 
in  and  butchered  the  unsuspecting  savages ! — (See  Southern  Cross, 
&c.,  page  226.) 

While  referring  to  "  the  tricks  of  traders,"  we  recall  to  mind  the  in- 
stance of  a  certain  shipmaster,  (and  we  could  give  name  of  ship  and 
master,)  who  purchased  furs  of  an  Indian  in  Plover  Bay,  Arctic 
Ocean,  and  agreed  to  pay  in  rum,  but  so  adroitly  was  the  Indian 
deceived,  that  he  took  ashore  a  keg  of  salt  water !  As  if  dealing  in 
rum  was  not  sufficiently  bad,  but  the  mean  souled  man  must  put  salt 
water  into  the  keg,  in  place  of  the  rum  ! !  What  would  not  such  a 
man  do  for  money  !  We  frequently  met  that  man  in  the  streets  of 
Honolulu.  He  acknowledged  the  deed,  but  tried  to  apologize  lor  its 
baseness.  We  asked  him,  could  you  blame  those  Indians,  if  they  cut 
off  the  next  ship  which  entered  their  Bay  for  trade  or  supplies  ?  He 
replied  not  a  word,  and  we  parted.  When  we  reflect  upon  such  in- 
stances of  guilty  meanness  and  dishonorable  baseness,  we  are  inclined 
to  ask,  when  hearing  of  ships  cut  off  in  Micronesia  and  elsewhere, 
"  have  not  the  guilty  perpetrators  cause  for  resentment  ?" 

If  shipmasters  and  traders,  going  among  savages,  are  not  influenced 
by  the  precept  of  our  Saviour,  "  Do  unto  others,  as  ye  would  they 
should  do  unto  you,"  it  is  strange  that  they  cannot  be  induced  to  act 
from  the  principle  of  self-preservation.  If  they  are  not,  very  soon  some 
of  their  seafaring  companions  may  be  cast  ashore  wrecked  among 
those  savages.  If  they  are,  what  but  death  can  they  expect  will  be  their 
fate  ? 

There  is  current  among  the  free  blacks  of  Hayti,  a  proverb,  which 
we  would  commend  to  the  consideration  of  those  who  are  inclined  to 
deal  dishonestly  with  savages — "  Before  crossing  the  river,  do  not  curse 
the  crocodile* smother"  meaning,  provoke  not  wantonly  those  into  whose 
power  you  presently  may  be  cast. 

While  alluding  to  these  instances  of  dishonorable  conduct,  on  the 
part  of  the  white  man,  with  his  savage  brother  of  a  darker  skin,  it 
affords  us  pleasure  to  record  the  fact,  that  many  have  pursued  an  oppo- 
site course.  The  savage  appreciates  honesty  and  fair  dealing.  Wrhen 
traders  and  shipmasters  pursue  an  honorable  and  upright  course,  they 
are  remembered  and  their  second  visit  will  be  hailed  with  joy,  but  if  a 
trader  of  the  opposite  character  ever  returns,  let  him  beware  of  the 
consequences.  The  trouble  is,  the  innocent  are  made  to  suffer  for  the 
guilty,  as  at  the  Marshall  Islands  and  other  localities. 

A  most  remarkable  illustration  of  the  remark  that  "  the  innocent  are 
made  to  suffer  for  the  guilty,"  we  have  in  the  murder  of  the  Rev.  John 
Williams,  the  Apostle  of  Polynesia  and  Martyr  of  Eru manga.  We 
copy  the  following  from  the  Samoan  Reporter  for  March,  1860.  The 
Rev.  George  Turner,  in  reporting  the  14th  voyage  of  the  Missionary 
bark  John  Williams,  makes  the  following  statements  respecting 
his  visit  to  Erumanga,  on  Saturday,  15th  of  October,  1859 : 


64 

"  Anchored  in  Dillion's  Bay  on  the  following  morning,  viz.,  Saturday, 
Oct.  15th.  Mr.  Gordon  was?  soon  on  board,  and  accompanied  by  him 
some  of  us  went  ashore,  and  up  the  hill  to  his  residence,  about  1,000 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  there  we  found  Mrs.  Gordon  well. 
Owing  to  the  unhealthy  swarnps  on  the  low  grounds,  Mr.  G.  has  built 
his  rottage  on  the  high  land.  Close  by  the  house,  he  has  erected  a 
small  chapel,  and  has  a  fine  bell  at  the  one  end,  which  echoes  from  hill, 
to  hill,  and  calls  the  tribes  to  theii  little  Zion. 

"  Every  spot  was  associated  with  the  tragic  scenes  of  November,  1839. 
At  the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which  the  chapel  stands  is  the  stream  in  which 
Mr.  Harris  fell,  and  the  beach  where  Mr.  Williams  ran  into  the  sea. 
Down  the  hill,  below  Mr.  Gordon's  study  window,  is  the  spot  where  the 
oven  was  made  in  which  Mr.  Williams'  body  was  cooked.  Over  in 
another  direction  is  the  place  where  the  body  of  Mr.  Harris  was  taken. 
Inland  is  a  grove  of  cocoanuts,  underneath  one  of  which  the  skull  ol 
Mr.  Williams  was  buried.  The  bones  taken  to  Samoa  by  Capt.  Crok- 
er,  in  H.  M.  S.  Favourite  in  1S40,  were  not  the  remains  of  Williams 
and  Harris.  He  had  no  proper  interpreter.  The  natives  thought  he 
wanted  to  buy  human  bones,  and  took  off'  for  sale  whatever  were  handy 
from  one  of  the  adjacent  caves,  where  they  deposit  their  dead.  One 
of  the  skulls  was  that  of  the  father  of  a  lad  we  had  for  some  time  with 
us  in  our  Institution  in  Samoa.  It  is  difficult  at  present,  owing  to  hos- 
tility among  the  tribes,  to  get  at  the  precise  tree  under  which  the  skull 
of  Mr.  Williams  was  buried ;  but  there  let  the  remains  of  the  martyr 
rest,  and  form  part  and  parcel  of  the  root  of  that  palm  which  waves  its 
foliage  in  every  breeze,  emblematic  of  the  Christian  hero's  triumph  ! 
A  piece  of  red  sealing-wax  found  in  Mr.  W.?s  pocket  was  supposed  by 
the  natives  to  be  some  portable  god,  and  was  carefully  buried  near 
where  the  skull  was  laid.  Mr.  Gordon  lately  recovered  "this,  and  hand- 
ed it  to  me,  to  convey  to  Mr.  W.'s  children,  as  the  only  relic  which  he 
has  been  able  to  obtain  of  their  lamented  father.  At  first  he  thought, 
from  the  description  of  the  native,  that  this  'god'  would  turn  out  to 
be  Mr.  W.'s  watch ;  but  when  found,  it  was  only  red  sealing-wax.  The 
clothes  and  other  things  found  on  the  body  after  the  massacre,  were  all 
distributed  about,  with  the  exception  of  this  bit  of  sealing-wax,  an  inch 
and  a  half-long. 

"We  had  the  pleasure  of  spending  a  Sabbath  at  Erurnanga,  and  met 
with  about  150  of  the  people  in  their  little  chapel.  All  were  quiet  and 
orderly.  It  thrilled  our  inmost  soul  to  hear  them,  as  led  by  Mr.  Gor- 
don, strike  up  the  tune  of  New  Lydia,  and  also  the  translation  and 
tune  of  « There  is  a  happy  land.'  Mr.  Macfarlane  and  I  addressed 
them  through  Mr.  Gordon.  They  were  startled  and  deeply  interested 
as  I  told  them  of  former  times,  when  we  tried  so  hard  to  get  inter- 
course with  them,  and  to  show  them  that  we  were  different  from  other 
white  men  who  had  visited  their  shores.  When  I  read  out  the  names 
of  seven  who  swam  off  to  us  in  1845,  and  to  whom  we  shewed  kind- 
ness, and  took  on  shore  in  the  bout,  it  appeared,  from  the  sensation 
created,  that  one  of  them  was  present.  He  came,  after  the  service, 
shook  hands,  said  some  two  or  three  more  of  them  were  alive,  that  our 
visit  that  day  greatly  surprised  them,  and  that  they  marked  our  vessel 

"~ 


65 

as  the  one  which  shewed  them  kindness,  and  did  not  take  sandal-wood. 
They  thought  us  quite  different  from  all  the  white  men  with  whom 
they  had  previously  came  in  contact. 

"On  the  Saturday,  I  saw  and  shook  hands  with  the  chief  Kauiau. 
who  killed  Mr.  Williams,  and  on  Monday  met  with  him  again.  I 
also  saw  one  of  his  men,  called  Oviallo,  who  killed  Mr.  Harris. — 
These  two  men  feel  ashamed  and  shy  when  the  John  Williams 
comes.  Neither  of  them  was  at  the  service  on  Sabbath.  Probably 
they  have  had  a  fear  also  which  they  found  it  difficult  to  shake  off.  I 
hope,  however,  that  Kauiau  has  now  perfect  confidence  in  our  friendly 
intentions.  On  the  Monday,  he  and  Oviallo  walked  about  with  us, 
shewed  us  the  place  where  Mr.  Harris  was  first  struck,  the  place  in  the 
stream  a  few  yards  from  it  where  he  fell,  and  the  course  along  the  road, 
and  down  to  the  beach  where  Mr.  Williams  ran  right  into  the  sea. 
Here,  too,  Oviallo  helped  us  to  pick  up  some  stones  to  take  with  us  as 
mementoes  to  surviving  friends  of  the  sad  event.  Mr.  Gordon  has 
erected  a  little  printing-office  and  teacher's  residence  close  to  the  spot 
where  the  first  blow  was  struck  at  Mr.  Harris.  I  have  planted  a  date 
palm  seed  there,  in  a  line  towards  the  stream  with  the  spot  whfcre  Mr. 
Williams  fell. 

"  But  the  most  striking  and  permanent  memento  of  that  sad  day  is  a 
great  flat  block  of  coral  on  the  road  up  the  hill,  about  a  gunshot  from 
the  place  where  Mr.  Williams  fell.  There  the  natives  took  the  body, 
laid  it  down,  and  cut  three  marks  in  the  stone,  to  preserve  the  remem- 
brance of  its  size.  The  one  mark  indicates  the  length  of  the  head  and 
trunk,  and  the  other  the  lower  extremities,  thus  : 


Head  and  trunk, 
37  inches. 


Extremities, 
25  inches. 


A  native   lay  down   on  the  spot,  and,  lying  on  his  right  side,  with  his 
knees  somewhat  bent,  said,  that  was  how  it  was  measured. 

"  When  the  Camden  hove  in  sight,  on  that  morning  of  the  20th  of 
November,  '39,  the  Erumangas  thought  it  was  a  sandal-wooding  party 
returned,  who  had  but  recently  killed  a  number  of  their  people,  and  plun- 
dered their  plantations.  They  were  the  more  confirmed  in  this  impres- 
sion from  the  fact  that  the  boat  pulled  in  to  the  very  place  where  that 
party  had  landed  before,  and  erected  some  huts.  That  morning,  they 
had  all  ready  prepared  heaps  of  yams  and  taro  for  a  feast  which  was  to 
take  place  close  by  up  the  river ;  they  felt  galled  at  the  thought  of  their 
being  stolen  by  the  white  men,  and  determined  to  try  and  prevent  their 
landing;  or,  if  they  did  land,  to  attack  them  if  they  attempted  to  go  up 
the  river  to  the  place  where  the  yams  and  taro  were.  They  sent  the 
women  and  children  out  of  the  way,  and  hid  themselves  in  the  bush, 
but  especially  off  the  road  leading  up  along  the  western  bank  of  the 
stream.  When  Mr.  Harris  made  to  go  up  there,  and  had  reached  the 
spot  where  I  have  planted  the  palm  tree,  the  shell  blew,  Kauiau  rushed 
out  with  his  party,  and  commenced  the  attack.  Five  out  of  seven  who 
were  foremost  in  the  massacre  are  dead.  The  people  were  not  united 
in  the  affair ;  some  were  for  it,  and  some  were  against  it ;  hence  the 
remark  of  Capt.  Morgan  :  'They  made  signs  for  us  to  go  away.' 
the  principal  thing  in  that  sad  day  which  melted  their  hearts  with  pity 
9 


66 

was,  they  say,  *  the  man  in  the  boat  who  stood  and  wrang  his  hands 
and  wept ;'  and  that,  I  suppose,  was  good  Capt.  Morgan. 

41  After  surveying  these  scenes,  so  full  of  affecting  recollections,  we 
went  off  to  the  vessel,  and  took  Kauiau  with  us.  We  got  him  down 
into  the  cabin,  and,  as  this  is  the  first  time  he  has  ventured  to  go  below, 
it  proves  that  he  has  now  entire  confidence  in  us.  We  exchanged 
presents  also.  We  gave  him  a  trifle,  and  he  and  the  people  brought 
off  to  the  ship  forty  yams,  twenty  heads  of  taro,  and  three  bunches 
of  bananas — the  first  present  which  the  missionary  vessel  has  ever 
had  from  Erumanga,  and  the  murderer  of  John  Williams.  On  show- 
ing Kauiau  all  over  the  ship,  we  stood  before  Mr.  Williams'  portrait  in 
the  saloon,  and  told  him  that  was  the  missionary  he  killed.  He  gazed 
with  intense  interest,  said  he  thought  he  could  recognize  the  full  face, 
and  the  stout  body,  and  was  earnest  in  leading  up  to  it  some  others  who 
were  with  him,  and  in  explaining  what  it  meant.  Kauiau  is  still  a 
heathen  comparatively.  Let  us  hope  that  he  may  soon  take  a  stand  on 
the  side  of  Christ.  Mr.  Gordon  says,  that  Oviallo  is  a  more  hopeful 
character,  and  seems  to  be  deeply  grieved  as  he  thinks  of  his  having 
had  *  hand  in  killing  '  a  man  of  God.'  ' 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  apostle  to  Polynesia,  was  murdered  on  ac- 
count of  the  iniquitous  and  wicked  conduct  of  sandal  wood  traders. 
"  If  honesty  is  the  best  policy,"  so  "dishonesty  is  the  worst  policy." 


XXXVII. 

EVERY  MISSIONARY    TO    THE    HEATHEN  SHOULD  BE  A 

PHYSICIAN. 

This  should  be  the  landing  rule,  and  the  only  exception  allowed 
should  be  in  those  instances  when  the  missionary  goes  to  parts  of  the 
world  where  there  are  educated  physicians.  We  have  not  formed  this 
opinion  hastily.  Some  four  years  ago,  at  our  suggestion,  it  was  dis- 
cussed at  length  in  the  meetings  of  the  Hawaiian  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation, and  the  subject  was  deemed  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  no- 
ticed in  the  annual  "  general  letter  "  to  the  Prudential  Committee  of 
the  American  Board  in  Boston. 

We  have  seen  the  importance  of  medical  knowledge  and  informa- 
tion among  the  missionaries  upon  these  islands,  but  during  our  late 
cruise  through  Micronesia,  the  subject  has  been  impressed  by  a  wider 
range  of  observation.  While  at  Apaiang,  we  witnessed  the  praise- 
worthy effort  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bingham,  to  introduce  vaccination. 
Eight  days  before  our  arrival  he  had  visited  the  whale  ship  Belle, 
Capt.  Brown,  and  obtained  some  excellent  vaccine  matter  from  the  arm 
of  Capt.  B's  infant  child.  The  evening  before  our  departure  from 
Apaiang,  Mr.  Birtgham,  Capt.  Gelett,  and  another  person  present,  un- 
dertook the  work  of  vaccination.  We  hope  our  humble  efforts  may 
prove  as  successful  as  those  of  Dr.  Jenner,  who  first  discovered  the 
wonderful  antidote  to  the  small-pox,  but  never  did  we  feel  so  much  the 
importance  of  medical  knowledge.  Mr.  Bingham  laments  his  deficien- 
cy in  this  respect.  Medical  knowledge  would  increase  his  influence 


67 

and  usefulness,  we  verily  believe,  at  least  twofold.  The  Hawaiian 
Missionaries  on  Tarawa,  are  not  supposed  to  know  much  about  curing 
bodily  diseases,  yet  applications  are  made  to  them  for  medical  advicel 

At  the  Marshall  Islands,  this  subject  was  forced  upon  our  considera- 
tion by  a  most  painful  combination  of  facts.  There  was  sickness  in 
the  missionary's  family,  but  no  physician  was  at  hand.  There  was 
sickness  among  the  people,  but  there  was  no  physician  who  felt  con- 
fidence  in  his  ability  and  skill,  yet  Mr.  Doane  was  continually  compelled 
to  administer  medicines  and  prescribe  remedies.  Mr.  Doane  felt  so 
strongly  upon  the  subject,  that  even  now,  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  or 
seven,  he  is  contemplating  a  visit  to  the  United  States  for  the  purpose 
of  attending  a  course  of  Medical  Lectures. 

During.our  detention  at  Kusaie,  or  Strong's  Island,  the  same  subject 
came  up  for  consideration.  Mr.  Snow  has  been  obliged  to  administer  medi- 
cines. He  is  living  among  a  diseased  people.  With  medical  knowl- 
edge, he  might  not  have  been  able  to  have  saved  a  wasting  race,  but 
he  might  have  enjoyed  the  satisfaction  of  having  made  an  intelligent 
effort.  He  has  done  what  he  could,  but  often  has  been  obliged  to  ad- 
minister medicines,  when  medical  knowledge  might  have  led  him  to 
have  acted  differently.  The  natives  will  have  medicines.  They  are 
believers  in  the  art !  King  George's  favorite  son  was  dangerously  sick 
a  few  years  ago,  and  a  whaler  arrived  in  port.  The  king  hurried  for 
medicine.  The  shipmaster  gave  him  a  bottle  of  something,  and  the 
following  morning,  the  young  man  was  a  corpse.  The  King  was  heard  to 
remark,  "  Well,  the  Captain's  intentions  were  good." 

On  our  arrival  at  Ponapi,  we  very  soon  became  acquainted  with 
facts  in  abundance,  to  show  the  importance  of  medical  knowledge 
among  missionaries.  What  would  not  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sturges  have 
given  for  medical  knowledge  during  the  ravages  of  the  smallpox? 
The  following  is  an  extract  from  his  journal,  published  in  the  Mission- 
ary Herald  for  May,  1855 : 

"  July  12,  1854.  The  Lord's  hand  is  heavy  upon  us.  Never  did 
death  work  more  fearfully,  or  with  less  opposition.  The  panic- struck 
natives  fly  to  the  mountains  and  to  uninhabited  islands ;  then  they 
come  back  again,  and  seize  some  victim  of  the  disease  to  carry  to  their 
homes,  thus  spreading  the  contagion  to  all  parts,  so  that  a  spot  can- 
not be  found  where  it  is  not  doing  fearful  execution.  Never  was  deso- 
lation more  complete. 

"Nor  is  it  a  small  ingredient  in  our  bitter  cup,  that  we  can  do  no 
more  to  lessen  the  evil.  Our  destituton  of  vaccine  matter,  the  power 
of  the  priests  over  a  bigoted  people,  together  with  the  stories  of  aban- 
doned foreigners  respecting  our  bringing  the  sickness  here  and  our  in- 
tention to  kill  all  the  natives,  render  our  efforts  to  come  into  contact 
with  their  sufferings  nearly  fruitless.  They  often  resort  to  the  basest 
deceptions  to  keep  us  from  the  dwellings  of  the  sick,  that  the  addi- 
tional curse  of  our  presence  may  not  fall  upon  them.  Much  has  been 
said  to  them  about  inoculation ;  but  they  do  not  understand  its  nature  ; 
and  as  it  would  kill  some,  and  serve  to  spread  the  contagion,  it  seems  a 
matter  of  prudence  not  to  press  it. 

"  In  these  circumstances,  with  the  dying  groans  of  thousands  in  our 


68 

ears,  forced  by  heathen  superstition  and  a  heathenized  civilization  from 
sufferings  which  \ve  would  gladly  mitigate,  shut  out  from  all  connection 
with  a  Christian  world,  we  love  to  think  of  the  thousands  who  remem- 
ber us  at  the  throne  of  grace.  It  is  sweet  to  go  there  often  ourselves, 
and  to  those  rich  promises,  '  They  that  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy ;' 
•  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always.' 

"  20.  For  weeks  I  have  been  mostly  confined  to  our  own  district, 
going  about  but  little,  as  our  Nanakin  keeps  his  people  at  their  homes, 
allowing  but  little  intercourse,  wishing  to  keep  the  sickness  at  a  dis- 
tance. This  is  a  large  district,  and  nearly  the  only  one  where  the 
small-pox  has  not  made  ravages. 

"  During  this  temporary  seclusion,  the  Nanakin,  with  his  train,  has 
been  quite  attentive  to  his  books,  coming  to  my  house  every  day  for 
instruction.  "  Besides  my  ordinary  teaching,  I  have  tried  to  commu- 
nicate some  things  respecting  the  treatment  of  the  small-pox  to  the 
people  through  him  ;  and  I  hope  I  have  not  utterly  failed.  He  would, 
no  doubt,  request  to  be  inoculated,  were  it  not  for  the  fears  of  others. 
We  rejoice,  and  would  have  our  friends  rejoice  with  us,  in  a  more  un- 
obstructed and  friendly  contact  with  this  suffering,  deluded  people." 

SUCCESSFUL  INOCULATION. — As  Mr.  Sturges  has  not  received  a  med- 
ical education,  it  will  be  seen  in  the  following  extract  that  he  assumed 
a  very  grave  responsibility.  There  are  few  men  who  would  not  shrink 
from  such  a  measure. — (El.  of  Missionary  Herald.} 

"  August  5.  I  have  this  day  inoculated  our  Nanakin.  This  is  de- 
cidedly the  greatest  venture  of  my  life.  If  he  does  well,  all  will  be 
well ;  if  he  dies,  we  can  hardly  expect  to  escape  savage  violence.  We 
try  to  work  the  Lord's  will ;  and  we  know  he  always  makes  issues  for 
the  highest  good. 

"  12.  1  have  this  day  re-inoculated  the  Nanakin,  and  with  him  a 
favorite  brother.  This  shows  his  determination,  and  his  confidence  in 
the  missionary.  Never  did  I  feel  more  the  need  or  help  of  special  pleadings 
with  the  great  Physician  than  now. 

"25.  These  anxious  weeks  are  over.  The  Nanakin  is  well,  having 
had  the  sickness  so  lightly  that  it  is  hard  to  feel  he  has  been  sick.  His 
brother  also  is  doing  well.  To  the  Lord  let  all  glory  be  given !  I  am 
now  very  busy  inoculating.  Every  body,  far  and  near,  urges  me  to 
this.  I  have  now,  and  shall  have  for  weeks,  more  than  I  can  do.  Poor 
people  !  Some  of  them  will  die,  probably  many,  and  I  must  have  the 
credit  of  killing  them.  I  do  sometimes  tremble  at  my  responsibilities ; 
but  I  will  never  shrink,  so  long  as  I  can  feel  that  the  hand  of  my  Master 
is  about  me.  The  Nanakin  accompanies  me  in  my  visits  to  distant 
parts  of  the  tribe.  This  he  does  that  I  may  not  have  to  propel  my  own 
canoe,  and  to  give  more  influence." 

Another  extract  will  indicate  the  hazard  of  medical  practice  among 
such  a  people.  It  will  also  illustrate  the  mastery  which  superstition  has 
gained  over  them. — (Ed.  Missioiiary  Herald. ) 

"  September  10.  A  high  chief,  a  subject  of  inoculation,  has  just  died. 
He  was  one  of  the  worst  men  we  had,  occasioning  nearly  all  the  wars 
between  the  tribes,  us  also  robberies,  neighborhood  quarrels,  &c.  He 
urged  the  killing  of  the  missionary,  awhile  since,  as  the  cause  of  the 


sickness.  Failing  in  this  he  fled  to  a  small  island,  where  he  remained 
for  months,  until  the  small-pox  broke  out  on  his  premises  on  the  main 
land,  -when  he  returned.  Seeing  me  inoculate  the  Nanakin,  he  begged 
with  tears  that  I  would  do  the  same  thing  for  him.  Through  all  his 
sickness  he  was  anxious  to  see  me,  as  he  seemed  to  have  the  great- 
est dread  of  dying.  He  might  have  lived ;  but  at  the  crisis  of  his 
disease,  the  spirits  appeared,  saying,  'Come  away,'  'Come  away.' 
On  receiving  this  order,  he  was  carried  several  miles,  which  was  too 
much  for  his  weak  body.  Such  orders  for  a  change  of  place  are 
almost  always  given  in  the  later  stages  of  sickness,  and  doubtless  cause 
many  deaths.  Many  are  unquestionably  buried  alive.  There  are 
frequent  cases  of  persons  rising  from  their  grave-clothes.  This  fact 
suggested  to  them  the  return  of  the  soul  to  the  body,  after  a  temporary 
absence.  They  hurry  the  corpse  into  the  ground,  to  keep  any  stranger 
from  looking  upon  it,  as  this  would  greatly  offend  the  spirit.  All  the 
fears  of  the  living  seem  to  center  in  the  agency  of  departed  spirits.  If 
one  is  sick,  or  meets  with  anycalamiity ;  if  any  noise  is  heard  at  night; 
if  anything  singular  happens,  it  is  the  work  of  ghosts." 

Such  facts,  as  the  foregoing,  are  sufficient  to  convince  any  candid 
mind  that  a  missionary  to  Micronesia,  should  be  a  physician  ar,  well  as 
clergyman.  There  are  very  many  other  missionary  fields  where  the 
call  is  equally  pressing  for  missionary  physicians.  We  do  think  the 
Board  of  Missions  in  Boston,  should  insist  that  missionary  candidates 
should  have  attended,  at  least,  one  course  of  Medical  Lectures.  We 
can  anticipate  some  of  the  excuses  or  pleas  which  will  be  offered  for 
neglecting  the  study  of  medicine  by  missionary  candidates — viz  :*  want 
of  time,  pecuniary  means,  disinclination,  &c.  Then  we  reply,  the  Board 
should  make  the  rule  imperative  and  stringent.  It  would  be  a  saving 
of  money  to  the  Board,  in  the  end,  if  every  missionary  candidate  was 
educated  as  a  Physician  from  the  funds  of  the  Missionary  Society. 

An  eminent  Frenchman,  gives  the  following  as  his  definition  of  a 
physician  :  "  An  unfortunate  gentleman  who  is  expected  every  day  to 
perform  a  miracle,  namely,  to  reconcile  health  with  intemperance." 

But  the  missionary,  without  medical  knowledge,  is  still  more  unfor- 
tunate, for  he  is  expected  to  arrive  at  the  same  result,  but  must  go  at 
his  work  blindly! 

The  followingextract  from  the  "Cyclopedia  of  Missions,"  presents  our 
beau  ideal  of  the  method  of  carrying  on  the  work  of  missions  among  a 
heathen  people : 

"  Arcot. — This  city  is  seventy  miles  from  Madras,  on  the  road  to 
Bangalore,  and  is  the  centre  of  a  very  populous  and  destitute  district. 
At  this  place  Mr.  M.  Scudder  commenced  a  mission  in  March,  1850. 
Having  already  become  quite  distinguished  for  his  medical  and  sur- 
gical skill,  his  services  were  in  immediate  demand,  from  forty  to  fifty 
visiting  him  daily.  His  custom  was  to  meet  his  patients  in  the  morn- 
ing, read  and  explain  a  passage  of  Scripture,  and  pray  with  them, 
after  which  he  attended  to  their  maladies.  Through  his  medical  la- 
bors he  gained  access  to  many  Hindoo  <vomen,  who  could  not  have 
been  reached  in  any  other  way.  A  regular  dispensary  was  established, 
and  Mrs.  Scudder,  who  could  speak  Tamil,  fluently  visited  it  daily  to 
converse  with  the  patients." 


70 

Remarkable  Ruins  on  the  Island  of  Ascension,  at  the  Metalanira 

Harbor,  built  entirely  of  Basaltic  Prisms. 

Surveyed  by  J.  T.  G-xaliclc. 


h-.        ta 


A  The  outer  wall. 

B  The  platform. 

C  The  inner  wall. 

D  The    platform  of  the  inner 


will. 
E  Large  steps 


over  the  centre  vault. 
F  Vaults. 


to  a  platform 


ai 

G  Entrance  into  the  centre 
vault  •,  but  uow  blocked  up. 

II  Low  passages  through  the 
walls. 

I  The  position  of  several 
vaults,  dimensions  not  known. 

J  The  platform  in  front. 


K  The  entrance  through  the 
outer  wall. 

L  The  entrance  through  the 
inner  wall. 

M  The  main  platform,  the 
same  height  as  the  platform  iu 
front. 

N  Water  surrounding  it. 


71 
XXXVIII. 

RUINS  ON  PONAPI. 

In  former  years  we  have  published  several  articles  upon  the  ruins 
on  Ascension  or  Ponapi,  as  our  readers  may  learn  by  referrng  to  the 
Friend,  for  December  17,  1852,  and  August  26th,  1857.  Every  per- 
son visiting  the  island,  should  not  by  any  means  leave  without  taking 
a  look  at  these  remarkable  ruins.  In  extent  and  regularity,  they  far 
exceed  those  upon  Kusaie.  The  ruins  were  first  discovered  by  a  sailor 
by  the  name  of  James  F.  O'Connell,  who  was  wrecked  in  the  English 
whale  ship  John  Bull  about  the  year  1S27  or  '28.  This  man  resided 
several  years  upon  the  island,  and  subsequently  escaped  and  finally 
found  his  way  to  Boston.  There  he  found  friends,  who  listened  to  the 
story  of  his  adventures  and  published  a  volume,  entitled,  "  A  Residence 
of  eleven  years  in  Netv  Holland,  and  the  Caroline,  Islands ;  being  the  Ad- 
ventures of  James  F.  O'Connell,  edited  from  his  verbal  narrative  ;  pub- 
lished by  B.  B.  Mussey,  Boston,  1836." 

This  volume  contains  much  information  respecting  that  island,  and 
is  deserving  of  perusal  by  any  one  who  wishes  to  acquaint  himself  with 
the  Caroline  Islands.  O'Connell  was  an  Irishman  by  birth,  and  was 
naturally  possessed  of  those  mental  traits  which  render  the  natives  of 
the  Emerald  Isle,  so  celebrated.  He  must  have  possessed  a  remarkable 
memory,  a  quickness  of  perception  and  no  ordinary  powers  of  observa- 
tion. While  at  Ascension,  we  met  with  an  old  resident,  who  remem- 
bered O'Connell,  when  he  was  a  resident  upon  the  island. 

The  foregoing  sketch  of  the  ruins,  we  repubhsh  from  the  Friend  of 
December,  1852. 

The  Rev.  E.  W.  Clark,  who  visited  the  ruins  in  1852,  thus  describes 
his  visit : 

"They  are  situated  upon  low  land  extending  out  upon  the  flats  which 
surround  this  island.  We  approached  them  from  the  inland  side  by 
crossing  a  creek  or  canal  20  or  30  feet  wide,  walled  on  both  sides  and 
nearly  dry  in  low  tide.  This  led  us  to  the  outer  entrance  of  the  ruins 
or  fortifications,  which  was  through  a  large  open  gateway.  On  inspec- 
tion, we  found  these  ruins  to  consist  of  two  quadrangular  walls,  one 
within  the  other.  The  length  and  breadth  of  the  outer  quadrangle,  by 
a  rough  measurement,  was  236  by  162  feet,  and  the  wall  from  6  to  10 
feet  thick,  and  in  some  places  25  feet  high  on  the  outside.  This  wall 
seemed  entire  in  some  places  and  in  others  broken  and  overgrown  with 
vines  and  trees.  Proceeding  a  few  paces  from  the  outer  wall  we  came 
to  the  entrance  of  the  inner  enclosure  facing  the  entrance  to  the  outer. 
In  front  of  the  inner  wall  is  a  raised  platform  10  or  12  feet  wide.  The 
inner  wall  was  about  14  feet  high,  where  it  was  not  broken  down,  and 
6  feet  thick.  The  top  rows  of  basaltic  prisms  of  which  this  wall  was 
built,  projected  over  about  two  feet  on  the  outside,  apparently  to  prevent 
the  walls  being  scaled  from  without.  This  inner  enclosure  was  about 
95  feet  by  75  on  the  outside.  In  the  center  a  little  raised  above  the 
surrounding  ground,  was  a  large  vault.  The  ancient  entrance  to  it  was 
thoroughly  closed  by  basaltic  prisms,  but  I  entered  through  a  crevice  in 
the  top.  The  vault  I  found  to  be  about  15  feet  by^  10  inside,  and  7  or 


72 

8  feet  deep.  The  bottom  was  uneven,  having  been  dug  up  apparently 
by  former  visitors  in  search  of  treasure  or  curiosities.  The  top  of  this 
vault  was  covered  with  immense  basaltic  columns  extending  the  whole 
length  and  measuring  17  feet.  On  the  top  of  the  vault  a  large  bread- 
fruit tree  was  growing,  whose  roots  extended  down  through  the  vault  to 
the  ground  below. 

"  There  are  several  similar  vaults  in  different  parts  of  the  ruins,  mostly 
between  the  inner  and  outer  walls.  Human  bones,  I  believe,  have  been 
found  in  some  of  them.  Small  pieces  of  ancient  coin,  a  silver  crucifix 
and  a  pair  of  silver  dividers,  have  been  found  ;  also  a  small  brass  can- 
non far  inland.  These  were  probably  left  here  by  Spanish  adven- 
turers long  before  the  island  was  known  to  the  civilized  world." 

We  are  unable  to  add  much  that  would  be  of  interest  respecting  these 
ruins.  Their  origin,  and  the  motive  prompting  their  builders,  are  un- 
known to  the  present  inhabitants.  We  have  no  idea  they  were  built  for 
warlike  purposes,  but  rather  for  those  of  superstition,  or  as  burial  places. 
They  were  far  more  extensive  than  we  anticipated.  We  would  refer  our 
readers  to  Dr.  Gulick's  admirable  article  in  the  Frie?id  for  August,  1857. 


XXXIX. 

APPEAL  IN  BEHALF  OF  THE  MICRONESIAN  MISSION. 

On  our  return  from  Micronesia,  we  preached  a  sermon  in  the  Bethel. 
Sabbath  morning,  August  16th,  from  which  we  make  the  following  ex- 
tracts : 

TEXT — "And  when  they  [Paul  and  Barnabas]  were  come  [to  Antioch]  and  had  gath- 
ered the  church  together,  they  rehearsed  all  that  God  had  done  with  them,  and 
how  he  had  opened  the  door  of  faith  unto  the  Gentiles." — Acts,  xiv  :  27. 

In  referring  to  the  state  of  heathenism  in  Micronesia,  we  improved 
the  occasion  to  speak  of  the  blessings  of  a  well  ordered  civil  government, 
and  oj  the  Family  Institution.  Illustrations  of  the  opposite  were  cited 
from  scenes  witnessed  during  our  cruise. 

"  If  we  contrast  the  condition  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  islands  of  Mi- 
cronesia with  the  condition  of  those  living  in  civilized  and  Christian 
communities,  no  well  balanced  mind  would  hesitate  to  decide  in  favor  of 
the  latter.  1  have  already  carried  out  the  contrast  in  reference  to  civil 
government,  and  the  marriage  or  family  institution.  I  might  also 
continue  the  contrast,  with  reference  to  schools  of  every  grade  from  the 
infant  school  to  the  university;  I  might  refer  to  all  those  social,  literary 
and  religious  privileges  and  blessings  which  are  so  highly  prized  by  all 
intelligent,  moral  and  religious  people.  In  speaking  of  these  blessings, 
I  might  ask  which  of  them  do  the  Micronesians  enjoy  ?  The  contents 
of  a  mail-bag,  they  have  eaten  for  food !  Eat  for  food  !  In  their  ig- 
norance, degradation  and  destitution,  they  have  no  disposition  to  rise  to 
a  higher  rank  than  their  fathers,  and  their  fathers  lived  and  died  more 
like  the  brutes  that  perish,  than  like  rational,  accountable  and  immortal 
beings.  Shall  the  inhabitants  of  those  islands  have  the  gospel  preached 
among  them?  Shall  those  blessings  which  Christians  and  those  living 
in  Christian  lands^so  highly  prize,  be  offered  to  them,  or  shall  they  be 


73 

left  as  they  have  hitherto  been,  to  dwell  in  ignorance,  vice,  and  degra- 
dation, and  pass  onward  to  the  bar  of  God,  where  we  and  they  must 
stand  ?  How  shall  we  meet  them,  and  be  able  to  answer  for  it,  that 
while  the  Bible  was  in  our  hands  and  the  means  were  in  our  possession, 
we  did  not  do  all  in  our  power  to  convey  to  them  the  inestimable  bless- 
ing? 

"  Having  been  permitted  the  privilege  of  making  this  cruise  along  the 

shores  of  heathendom,  and  cast  an  eye  into  its  dark   domain, havino- 

been  privileged  to  see  with  my  own  eyes,  that,  through  the  efforts  of  a 
few  missionaries,  God  has  most  wonderfully  and  widely  *  opened  the 
door  of  faith  unto  the  Gentiles,'  I  return  to  plead  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions,  and  urge  upon  Christians  of  every  name  and  denomination,  their 
duty  to  cause  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  to  be 
preached  without  delay  among  the  Micronesians,  Polynesians  and  all 
unenlightened  and  unevangelical  nations.  My  language  shall  be  that 
of  our  Saviour,  when  he  declared,  '  Say  not  ye,  There  are  yet  four 
months,  and  then  cometh  the  harvest  ?  behold  I  say  unto  you,  Lift  up 
your  eyes  and  look  on  the  fields  :  for  they  are  white  already  to  the 
harvest.  And  he  that  reapeth  receiveth  wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  unto 
life  eternal,  that  both  he  that  soweth  and  he  that  reapeth  may  rejoice 
together.' — John  iv:  35:36. 

"There  are  many  considerations  why  every  reasonable  effort  should  now 
be  made  to  cause  the  gospel  to  be  immediately  published  among  the  dwel- 
lers upon  the  islands  of  Micronesia,  and  all  those  portions  of  Polynesia, 
which  are  as  yet  unevangelized.  English  Christians  have  vigorously 
prosecuted  the  work  of  evangelization  among  the  islands  of  the  South 
Seas — group  after  group  has  been  won  over  to  the  dominion  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace.  Tahitians,  Samoans,  Tongans,  and  Feegeeians  have 
successively  arrayed  themselves  under  the  gospel  banner.  The  savage 
inhabitants  of  the  Solomon  Group,  and  New  Guinea,  remain  however 
to  test  the  faith,  try  the  zeal  and  combat  the  ardor  of  British  Mission- 
aries. Marquesans,  after  having  virtually  driven  from  their  shores 
British  and  American  Christian  missionaries,  have  finally  been  com- 
pelled to  ground  the  weapons  of  their  spiritual  warfare,  and  lay  down 
their  arms  at  the  feet  of  Hawaiian  soldiers  of  the  cross.  The  Ha- 
waiian Islanders  have  long  since  concluded  to  range  themselves  on  the 
side  of  Christian  nations.  The  effort  is  now  being  made  to  push  the 
conquests  of  the  cross  westward.  As  is  well  known,  missionaries  are 
now  laboring  upon  Apaiang,  Tarawa,  Ebon,  Kusaie  and  Ponapi.  They 
have  obtained  not  only  a  foot-hold,  but  already  a  harvest  is  being  gath- 
ered. Four  months  do  not  remain,  ere  sheaves  shall  be  gathered. 
The  process  of  sowing  and  reaping  is  going  forward  together.  The 
sower  going  forth  scattering  the  gospel  seed,  is  compelled  to  grasp  the 
sickle  and  gather  in  the  sheaves.  The  present  seems  emphatically  to 
be  the  favored  and  critical  moment  for  prosecuting  the  work  of  missions 
which  has  been  so  auspiciously  commenced  upon  the  Gilbert  and 
the  Marshall  Islands*  Hawaiian  missionaries  can  there  work  to  good 
advantage,  and  those  now  upon  the  ground  are  nobly  co-operating  with 
missionaries  from  America.  The  difficulty  is,  that  the  mission  is  feeble 
in  numbers>  but  those  few  are  accomplishing  an  Herculean  work.  They 
10 


74 

should  be  reinforced  without  delay.  More  American  and  Hawaiian 
missionaries  are  called  for  and  an  open  door  of  usefulness  invites  them 
to  enter  the  field.  No  youthful  missionary  preacher  or  school  teacher 
could  ask  or  desire  a  more  promising  or  inviting  field.  I  envy  not  the 
man,  who  can  visit  that  portion  of  the  heathen  world,  from  which  I 
have  returned,  and  gaze  upon  the  thronging  groups  of  children  and 
crowds  of  adults,  and  not  say  '  mine  eye  aftecteth  my  heart.'  As  I 
visited  those  crowded  villages,  in  company  with  the  missionaries,  and 
saw  the  work  to  be  done  and  the  encouragement  to  labor  in  that  work, 
I  could  sympathize  with  those  missionaries  as  they  raised  the  Macedo- 
nian cry,  '  Come  over,  and  help  us.'  They  need  help  and  they  should 
have  it.  I  pledged  them  my  word  that  1  would  return,  and  do  all  in  my 
power  to  send  that  help,  and  support  both  those  now  upon  the  ground 
and  as  many  more  as  can  be  sent  thither.  The  Micronesian  Mission, 
I  know,  is  under  the  patronage  of  the  American  Board  of  Missions, 
but  that  organization  desires  the  cordial  co-operation  of  Christians  and 
the  friends  of  missions  upon  these  islands.  That  society  is  desirous 
that  Hawaiian  Christians  will  send  forth  a  goodly  number  of  mission- 
aries. Those  Hawaiian  Missionaries,  now  upon  Apaiang,  Tarawa,  and 
Ebon,  are  laboring  efficiently  and  successfully,  but  where  there  is  one 
Hawaiian,  there  should  be  five.  '  The  harvest  is  great,  but  the  la- 
borers are  few.'  How  earnestly  ought  we  to  pray  *  the  Lord  of  the  har- 
vest that  he  will  send  for  the  laborers  into  the  harvest.'  " 


XL. 

THE  LAST. 

We  are  now  brought  to  the  last  Paper,  concluding  the  series  in 
which  we  have  endeavored  to  present  a  sketch  of  what  we  witnessed 
during  our  cruise  through  the  Islands  of  Micronesia.  These  papers 
have  multiplied  beyond  our  original  design,  and  \ve  now  find  it  more 
difficult  to  break  off  than  to  continue,  but  as  there  must  be  a  "  last 
number,"  we  have  concluded  that  it  should  be  "  No.  XL." 

In  bringing  these  sketches  to  a  close,  we  are,  by  no  means,,  inclined 
to  break  off  our  study  of  the  Micronesians  and  those  interesting  islands. 
We  hope  to  have  still  much  pleasant  correspondence  with  the  mission- 
aries. If,  in  future  years,  circumstances  should  be  favorable,  we  should 
not  be  disinclined  to  make  another  trip  through  that  region  of  the  great 
Pacific,  hence  we  do  not  say  "  farewell "  to  either  missionaries  or 
Micronesians. 

We  think  our  readers  will  be  interested  in  glancing  over  the  follow- 
ing catalogue  of  Micronesian  Missionaries  : 

American  Missionaries  in  Micronesia. 

Rev.  B.  G.  Snow  and  wife,  on  Strong's  Island,  or  Kusaie,  from  Oct. 
1852,  to  present  date.  It  is  expected  that  they  will  remove  to  Marshall 
Islands  next  year,  and  their  station  be  supplied  by  Hawaiian  Mission- 
aries, 


75 

Rev.  L.  H.  Gulick,  M.  D.,  and  wife,  on  Ascension,  from  Sept.  1852,  to 
October  1859— removed  to  Ebon,  and  remained  there  until  Oct.  1860, 
and  since  that  time  upon  a  visit  to  Hawaiian  Islands,  now  under  de- 
signation for  Gilbert  or  Kingsmill  Islands. 

Rev.  A.  A.  Sturges  and  wife,  on  Ascension,  from  September,  1852,  to 
present  date.  Mrs.  Sturges  is  now  visiting  Honolulu. 

Rev.  E.  T.  Doane  and  wife,  on  Ascension,  from  Feb.  1855,  to  Oct. 
1857,  removed  in  1857  to  Marshall  Islands,  (Ebon,)  and  %is  now  there. 
Mrs.  Doane  on  a  visit  to  Honolulu. 

Rev.  H.  Bingham,jr.,  and  wife,  on  Apaiang,  Gilbert  Islands,  from 
Dec.  1857,  to  present  date. 

Rev.  George  Pitrson,  M.D.,  and  wife,  on  Strong's  Island,  from  Sept. 
1855,  to  Oct.  1857,  and  then  removed  to  Ebon,  where  remained  until 
Oct.  1859.  Now  settled  as  Pastor  of  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Brook- 
lyn, California. 

Rev.  E.  P.  Roberts  and  wife,  on  Ascension,  from  Oct.  1858,  to  July, 
1S61.  Now  in  California. 

Hawaiian  Missionaries  in  Micronesia. 

B.  Kamikaida  and  wife.  Teachers  in  Ascension  from  1852  to  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1858.  His  wife  has  since  been  married  to 
H.  Aea,  the  Hawaiian  Missionary  on  Ebon,  Marshall  Islands. 

D.  Opunui  and  wife.  He  died  at  Strong's  Island,  in  1853,  and  his 
wife  returned  to  Sandwich  Islands. 

•S.  Kamnkahiki,  and  wife.  They  went  to  Ascension,  in  1855,  as 
teachers,  and  returned  in  1857.  They  are  now  located  at  Hana  on  the 
island  of  Maui,  where  he  is  most  usefully  employed  as  a  licensed 
preacher. 

/.  W.  Kanoa  and  wife.  They  sailed  in  company  with  Rev.  Dr. 
Pierson,  in  1855,  and  were  located  two  years  upon  Strong's  Island,  and 
were  then  transferred  to  Apaiang,  Gilbert  Islands,  where  they  are  now 
actively  engaged  in  the  missionary  work,  associated  with  the  Kev.  H. 
Bingham,  jr. 

The  Rev.  J.  Mahoe  and  wife,  sailed  in  1858,  and  are  now  upon  the 
Island  of  Tarawa,  Gilbert  Group.  They  are  associated  with 

K.  Haina  and  wife,  who  sailed  in  1860. 

H.  Aea  and  ivife  sailed  in  1860,  and  are  associated  with  the  Kev. 
Mr.  Doane,  on  Ebon,  Marshall  Islands. 

From  the  foregoing  catalogue,  it  appears  that  seven  American  Mis- 
sionaries, with  their  wives,  and  seven  Hawaiians  with  their  wives,  are 
all  the  laborers  who  have  ever  been  employed  in  that  missionary  field. 
Whatever  of  good  has  been  accomplished  has  been  done  by  them. 
Four  of  the  American  Missionaries  and  four  of  the  Hawaiians  are  now 
connected  with  that  mission.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Gulick  and  family,  Mrs. 
Sturges,  and  Mrs.  Doane,  are  now  visiting  the  Sandwich  Islands,  but 
they  are  expecting  to  return.  The  Hawaiians,  who  have  returned, 
are  not  expected  to  be  again  employed. 

From  a  careful  review  of  the  Micronesian  Islands  as  a  field  of 
missionary  labor,  the  number  of  islands  which  should  be  occupied  by 
missionaries,  the  number  of  people  to  whom  the  gospel  should  be 


76 

preached,  the  success  which  has  attended  the  work,  so  far  as  prosecuted, 
and  the  prospects  of  success,  we  are  fully  impressed  with  the  belief 
that  the  enterprise  should  be  vigorously  carried  forward.  There  are 
obstacles  to  be  overcome,  and  difficulties  to  be  encountered,  but  not 
greater  than  are  presented  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  The  low  coral 
islands  of  the  Gilbert  or  Kingsmill  and  Marshall  groups,  are  unlike  many 
other  missionary  fields,  but  judging  from  the  present  prospects,  and  the 
success  of  missionaries  upon  similar  localities  in  the  "  South  Seas," 
we  may  anticipate  most  happy  results.  The  following  statement 
respecting  the  success  of  the  English  and  native  missionaries  in  the 
"  South  Seas,"  upon  the  coral  islands  of  the  Hervey  Group,  we  copy 
from  a  recent  report  of  the  Rev,  J.  Bickncll,  who  has  visited  Tanning's 
Island,  where  many  of  these  natives  are  employed  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  cocoanut  oil : 

The  following  communication  was  addressed  to  Rev.  L.  Smith,  Cor- 
responding Secretary  of  Hawaiian  Missionary  Society : 

"TANNING'S  ISLAND,  Sept.  24,  1861. 
"  Rev.  and  Dear  Sir : 

"You  are  aware  that  in  the  month  of  June  last,  I  took  passage  from 
Honolulu  in  the  schooner  Marilda  for  this  island.  The  motives  which 
influenced  me  to  make  the  voyage  were  these ;  first  to  confer  with  my 
brother,  whom  I  had  not  seen  for  some  years  second  to  obtain  a  knowl 
edge  of  the  manufacture  of  cocoanut  oil :  third,  to  form  an  acquain- 
tance with  the  people  of  some  of  the  islands  of  the  South  *  Pacific  un- 
der the  patronage  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  so  as  to  be  in- 
formed of  the  manner  of  operations  of  that  Society  in  conducting  its 
missions. 

The  passage  down  was  made  in  nine  days.  Fanning's  Island  is  the 
first  lagoon  island  I  have  seen,  consequently  the  sight  is  an  agreeable 
change.  My  visit  has  been  a  pleasant  one,  every  thing  being  done  on 
the  part  of  the  proprietors  of  the  island  to  make  it  so. 

Upon  my  landing,  the  native  operatives  (people  of  Manihiki  and 
Rakahanga,  lagoon  islands  of  the  South  Pacific,)  were  all  assembled  on 
the  beach  to  see  the  Orometua,  or  Missionary ;  word  having  previously 
reached  the  shore  that  there  was  one  on  board. 

Unlike  the  Marquesans,  these  people  I  found  to  be  a  very  mild  and 
inoffensive  race.  In  general  appearance  they  resemble  the  Tahitians  ; 
— their  costume  and  style  of  civilization  being  the  same.  Their  lan- 
guage resembles  the  Rarotongan.  Their  missionary  teachers  are  from 
that  island ;  two  of  them  are  stationed  on  Manihiki,  and  one  on  Ra- 
kahanga. Also,  I  found  upon  the  island,  a  few  natives  from  the  Pau- 
motu,or  Chain  Islands.  The  whole  of  the  native  population  amounted 
to  about  150,  about  two-thirds  of  the  number  are  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  cocoanut  oil.  Among  these  people,  there  were  seven- 
teen church  members ;  a  deacon  from  the  church  at  Manihiki  being  ap- 
pointed over  them  as  their  spiritual  teacher. 

Shortly  after  my  arrival,  the  operatives  were  paid  off,  their  term  of 
-service  having  expired.  On  the  17th  July,  they  returned  in  the  Ma- 
rilda to  their  homes.  While  they  remained  on  the  island,  I  conducted 


77 

their  religious  services,  meeting  with  them  three  times  on  the  Sab- 
bath,  and  twice  through  the  week.  With  the  Manihiki  and  Rakahan- 
ca  people,  I  communicated  through  the  Karotongan  language,  and 
with  the  Paumotuans,  through  the  Tahitian.  I  found  them  attentive 
listeners.  Such  as  had  Bibles,  brought  them  to  Church,  and  followed 
the  reading.  Those  who  were  furnished  with  pencil  and  paper,  took 
notes.  One  thing  which  struck  me  very  favorably  was  this,  the  whole 
congregation,  both  young  and  old,  joined  in  the  singing.  As  might  be 
expected,  there  was  not  very  much  of  music  in  the  singing,  but  the 
absence  of  melody  was  compensated,  however,  by  the  hearty  good-will 
with  which  all  joined  in  the  strain.  There  was  an  attractive  simplicity 
in  the  religious  worship  of  these  islanders  highly  pleasing  to  behold. 
Would  that  the  like  simplicity  would  obtain  among  the  more  civilized 
races! 

They  pressed  me  very  strongly  to  accompany  them  to  their  islands. 
It  would  have  given  me  great  pleasure  to  have  gone  with  them,  but  my 
state  of  health,  at  the  time,  would  not  admit  of  it.  I  wrote  a  joint  let- 
ter, however,  to  the  Missionary  brethren  bidding  them  God-speed  in 
their  labor  of  love.  Also,  I  put  into  the  hands  of  my  brother  (who  was 
to  accompany  the  people  on  their  return)  a  paper  containing  a  list  of 
questions  to  be  asked  of  the  Missionary  Brethren. 

The  nature  of  these  questions  may  be  known  from  the  answers  to 
them,  the  substance  of  which  is  as  follows: 

The  mission  on  Manihiki  and  Rakahanga  was  established  in  1849. 
The  John  Williams  (missionary  bark)  has  called  six  times.  Two  white 
missionaries  have  visited  the  island,  Mr.  Buzacott,  and  Mr.  Gill.  The 
population  of  Manihiki  is  464,  that  of  Rakahanga  475.  The  number 
of  church  members  on  Manihiki  137 ;  on  Rakahanga  94.  The  people 
are  governed  by  Kings,  or  Chiefs ;  one  on  Manihiki,  and  one  on  Ra- 
kahanga ; — the  chief  of  Rakahanga  has  also  an  influence  on  Manihi- 
ki. The  influence  of  these  chiefs  is  considerable,  (though  their  power 
is  not  absolute  as  was  that  of  the  chiefs  of  '  Hawaii '  in  former  times.) 
The  missionaries  receive  no  stated  salaries — their  supplies  consist  of 
articles  of  clothing,  &c.,  contributed  by  the  members  of  the  churches 
at  Rarotonga.  The  people  contribute  weekly  supplies  of  food  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  missionaries.  The  state  of  society  is  peaceable. 
The  people  are  governed  by  laws,  which  are  very  strict ;  being  the  same 
as  those  of  Rarotonga.  The  missionaries  exert  almost  an  unbounded 
influence  over  the  people.  The  Rarotongan  Bible  and  hymn  book,  are 
the  devotional  books  in  use.  All  can  read  excepting  some  of  the  old 
people.  The  people  are  on  the  increase.  They  live  in  villages  ;  the 
houses  being  ranged  on  each  side  of  the  road.  There  are  two  villages 
on  Manihiki,  and  one  on  Rakahanga.  On  Rakahanga,  the  houses  are, 
for  the  most  part,  built  of  stone  and  plastered.  The  churches  are  built 
of  stone,  of  which  churches  there  is  one  in  each  village ;  the  dimen- 
sions of  each  being  60  feet  long,  36  feet  wide  and  18  feet  on  the  walls. 
The  people  subsist  upon  cocoanutsand  fish; — the  islands  also  produce  a 
species  of  taro  of  very  inferior  quality  called  by  the  natives,  puroka, — 
the  Tahitian  name  for  it,  is  Apura.  The  islands  are  but  seldom  visited 
by  whaleships.  The  people  obtain  their  supplies  of  clothing  from  Fan- 


78 

ning's  Island,  as  the  rewards  of  their  labors  in  the  manufacture  of 
cocoanutoil.  In  former  years,  the  clothing  of  these  people  consisted 
of  matting  made  from  the  pandanus  leaf ;  the  men  wore  maros,  and 
the  women  the  pau,  and  also  the  kihei.  At  present,  the  men  are  habit- 
ed in  pants  and  shirts,  and  the  women  in  loose  robes,  or  gowns. 

On  the  15th  August,  the  Marilda  returned  from  Manihiki,  bringing 
a  new  band  of  natives,  about  130  in  all.  Thirty-six  of  the  number 
being  church  members. 

My  intercourse  with  these  people  has  been  of  the  most  pleasing 
kind.  I  thank  God  for  granting  me  the  privilege  of  witnessing  the 
triumphs  of  His  grace  among  these  islanders.  I  begin  now  to  have  a 
hope  of  the  christianization  of  all  the  islands  of  Polynesia.  This 
work  is  pre-eminently  that  of  native  missionaries.  It  can  be  carried 
on  with  the  aid  of  only  a  few  foreign  ones.  Neither  is  there  a  neces- 
sity to  translate  the  scriptures  into  all  the  different  dialects,  since  one 
translation  may  suffice  for  those  which  are  the  nearest  resembling,  as 
we  see  in  the  case  of  the  Rarotongan  and  Manihiki  languages.  I  see 
no  reason  now  why  the  Hawaiian  literature  may  not  be  introduced  into 
the  Marquesas.  The  resemblance  between  the  Rarotongan  and  the 
language  of  Manihiki,  is  not  very  much  greater  than  that  between  the 
Hawaiian  and  the  Marquesan. 

This  shift  I  believe  may  be  adopted  with  success,  should  the  means 
not  be  at  hand  for  printing  the  Scriptures  in  the  Marquesan  language. 
I  have  exercised  the  Manihiki  and  Rakahanga  people  in  Bible  class,  and 
have  found  them  fluent  readers  of  the  Rarotongan  Scriptures. 

With  a  little  patient  instruction,  Marquesans  may  become  as  equally 
proficient  in  the  Hawaiian. 

The  teachers  employed  among  these  islanders,  seem  to  be  more  emi- 
nent for  their  love  for  souls,  than  for  their  learning.  The  true  mission- 
ary salt  is  the  unction  for  souls." 


NOTE. — The  Morning  Star  Papers  are  printed  as  a  "  Supplement  te  the 
Friend,"  and  the  postage  to  the  United  States  will  be  four  cents. 

Single  copy,  25  cents. 

Twelve  copies,  $2,00 

To  be  obtained  at  H.  M.  Whitney's  Book  Store,  and  the  Sailor's  Home 
Depository. 


INDEX. 


Fifth  cruise  of  Morning  Star, 
GILBERT  ISLANDS  —  Population, 

.     5,6 
15 

-      7 

K 

Si 

ev.  L.  II  .  Gulick, 

B.  G.  Snow,     - 
A.  A.  Sturges, 
E.  W.  Clark,    - 
J.  Bicknell, 
Dr.  Judson,    - 
John  Williams, 
IIP  WRECKS, 
Columbia,    - 
Flying  Fox,      - 

M.  D., 
3,  30,  36,  37,  75 
38-48,  50-58 
-    54-61,67-69 
71,  72 
76,  7H 
60 
64,  65 

17 
-    17 

Council  Houses,   - 
Government,    - 
Royal  family  of  Tarawa, 
Mission,  - 
Commerce,  ..-...-« 
Food,      -        -        .        - 
Foreign  intercourse, 
MARSHALL  ISLANDS  —  Population 

8 
-     9 
9,10 
11,12 
15 
-     15 
17 
,      34 

on 

29 

Origin  of  people,  29 

Foreign  intercourse,  -  23, 26 
Mission,  -  20,  21,  30,  31,  32 
Kaibuke,  -  -  -  -27,28 

Schools, 32 

Deference  to  rank,  33 

34,35 
54 


Farewell  glance, 

CAROLINE  ISLANDS — At  a  glance, 
Island  of  Kusaie, 


Ruins  on  Kusaie,  -  -  36, 37 
Mission  on  "  -  -  -  38, 39 
Government  "  -  40, 41 

Decrease  of  population,  -  41,  42 
Kusaien  Language,  -  50,  51 
King  George,  -  -  -  52, 53 

Island  of  Ponapi,         -        -      54,  55 
Mission  on  Ponapi, 
Ruins  on  Ponapi,    -        -        70,71 

Rev.  H.  Bingham,  jr.,     11-14,  66,  75 


Ontario,      -  17 

Wm.  Neilson,  -        -        -        -   24 
Sea  Nymph, 

Glencoe,  -        -        -        -    25 

Globe,          ....        26 
John  Bull,   -        -        -        -        71 
MISCELLANEOUS  ITEMS. 
Hawaiian  and   Gilbert  Island  dialects 
compared,  7 

--     —  '  11,34 

21,22 
31 
53 

58-61 
43-48 
Remarks  upon  Natural  Science,  48-50 


35  Translation  of  English  hymns, 


Cruise  of  Bark  Belle, 
"Lovers  of  Jesus" 
King  George  of  Tonga, 
Heathen  degradation, 
Sermon,  by  Rev.  B.  G.  Snow, 


South  Sea  Misssions, 
53-58  The  Tricks  of  Traders, 


Sea-sick  Poetry,  ^  - 
Missionary  Physicians, 


55,  56,  76-78 
61-74 
14, 15 
66-79 


E.  T.  Doane,      19,  29-35,  66,  75j  Appeal  in  behalf  of  Micronesia,  72-74 


